Second Darkness: Beyond Power-Hungry Designs
by Torlek
Summary: Amara and Chuck have made their immense changes to celestial existence. The former's intelligent creation, the most powerful created being in existence, has realized certain power-hungry designs in response to those changes and has additional dark designs. (Set after Second Darkness: Power-Hungry Designs and Time Out, as well as set before From Darkness To Darkness)
1. Dark Meditation

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. I own only those original characters that are in this story.**

* * *

 **Dark Meditation**

One moment, Sefira had given the ultimatum of ultimata to her uncle. This did the Lesser Darkness do in the midst of her mother, the Darkness: demand that God himself fall down before her, even without venerating her worshipfully. She who arose in might coveted a dark anointment of her head by him, while she herself sat on a throne.

The next moment, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine found herself banished, like a mere angel, from the Divine Presence that was her mother and her uncle, despite having become over three times more powerful than her late predecessor, Death, at the peak of his power. Despite having become over eleven, over twelve, even over thirteen times more powerful than either her eldest primordial cousin, Michael, or her darkest archangelic creation, Samael, and despite having become over nine times more powerful than the latter's dark offspring, she could not withstand divine banishment.

For a short while, the most powerful created being in existence struggled as if she were a banished angel. Eventually, all her temporarily negated power found its way back to her being, and she pondered her next moves.

For this meditative purpose, the Dark Herald created a pocket universe in an instant. She then travelled to that dimension to engage in very dark meditation, for time there passed by much more rapidly and could not be slowed down by anyone but herself, her mother, or her uncle.

There, the created dark essence gazed upon her prize, the enormous Hammer of Death, very distinct from her Instruments of the Darkness which she had either upgraded or created. Then, a new possibility came into her consideration, for she had not undertaken the feat of bringing into existence a spiritual realm like the Commonwealth of Heaven, the independent Republic of Heaven, Purgatory, Hell, the Bottomless Pit, or the Empty. Nonetheless, she desired something separate from the realm of her Reapers, and so she wondered about stretching the Hammer's creative abilities regarding primordial beings and substances, towards the creation of an entire spiritual domain. Darker thoughts about the details of an appropriate domain then came across her mind.

Satisfied with the results of her dark meditation, Sefira went forth from her pocket universe and folded it out of existence. The Lesser Darkness was bound to create a far more durable and permanent domain.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _Recapped below is the scope of Sefira's mid-tier nigh-omnipotence, over and above the abilities associated with lower-tier nigh-omnipotence:_

 _Innately - destruction per cataclysm of an entire polyverse, awareness of mind-reading attempts by the Darkness or by God, complete immunity from trapping except by the Darkness or by God, use in normal time of primordial beings to "create" primordial beings or substances from other primordial substances, unrestricted interdimensional transportation, full possession of a supermassive Leviathan gestalt, advanced healing in normal time of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier arch-Naphil or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous obliteration of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier arch-Naphil or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous exorcism of any supermassive Leviathan gestalt or any high-tier archangel, instantaneous obliteration of any spiritual realm, mid-tier umbrakinesis, immediate annihilation of any human soul or any other seemingly indestructible soul, creation in normal time and ex nihilo of non-primordial celestial beings, complete immunity from archangel banishment, complete immunity from Holy Fire, and inherent power negation of the short- to medium-range use of any Hand of God or of any Tablet of the Word of God;_

 _Mainly augmented but requiring recharge - destruction per cataclysm of an entire multiverse, manipulation of time across the omniverse (all Creation) to almost a standstill (not yet learned), true creation in normal time of one primordial being or substance (not yet learned), and creation in normal time of any spiritual realm (not yet learned); and_

 _Fully augmented but requiring recharge - destruction per cataclysm of an entire ultraverse or collection of multiverses, alteration of all rules of existence except time itself and the mandatory existence of the Darkness and God (in development), and existence entirely outside time itself (not yet learned)._


	2. Darkest Domain

**Darkest Domain**

With a hand gesture, Sefira summoned her darkest intelligent creations and their progeny. Before the Lesser Darkness stood her Dark Archangels and their Dark Arch-Nephilim, who then showered her with endless praise.

During that endless praise, the dark creator nudged her celestial worshippers to draw upon other sources for the expression of their flattery.

"Who do you say that I am?" she recited, leading by example.

"You are the Active Divine Feminine, the daughter of the Divine Darkness!" exclaimed the strongest of her Dark Arch-Nephilim, Apollyon.

"The firstborn of all creation," the Dark Naphil recited before adding, "not of Being, is who you are!"

Eventually, the father of that hybrid, the most powerful Dark Archangel, ended the flattery by expressing his desire for a command.

"What does my Deity Supreme and my High Sovereign command?" Samael requested.

"I desire to create by myself a celestial domain as a testament to, and residence of, my divine majesty," came the prideful response from his dark creator, wielding her Hammer of Death, "but I desire to do so in a short span."

"With you," Apollyon recited, "a thousand years are like one day."

In reaction, Sefira nodded with a smirk.

"Your will be done," the Dark Arch-Naphil affirmed in recitation. Together, the six Dark Archangels and the four Dark Arch-Nephilim then exerted a manipulation of time as best they could.

Meanwhile, she who arose in might had witnessed the wonder of her mother, the Darkness, manipulating time across almost all Creation to almost, just almost, a standstill. Here, there was no expectation to approach anything near that supremely divine feat, let alone match it; contentment would be the appropriate expression if the dark creations could simply make Apollyon's statement into a literal reality.

It did not take long for that statement to be realized. Within the limited warping of time, the most powerful created being in existence proceeded to fashion the foundations and contours of what would be nothing less than the darkest domain in all of celestial existence. It was intended for the result to be an impregnable base of operations from which the Lesser Darkness could interact with those new creations of hers who lived on the physical plane: the Adonim.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira has decided to take a break from twisting the usual Bible quotations for her ego. Therefore, all New Testament quotations found in this chapter and in future ones come from the NRSV version._

 _Meanwhile, the events of this story occur in parallel with the events of_ _Prophet Of The Eternal_ _.  
s/12887431/1/Prophet-Of-The-Eternal_


	3. Sefira Mons

**Sefira Mons**

When the foundations of the darkest domain in celestial existence were complete, Sefira ceased temporarily her swings of the Hammer of Death. The Lesser Darkness had reared what would appear to lesser beings as the tallest, widest, and darkest interstellar mountain.

"Arise, Sefira Mons!" she who arose in might proceeded to name her celestial creation.

Sefira Mons had a maximum height of an unprecedented forty kilometers, from base to peak; no holy mountain came close to this height. The base was situated ten kilometers below zero elevation, for the mountain was surrounded by a valley of unprecedented depth; no mere moat made by the hands of humans would suffice for a first line of defense. From zero elevation, the margins of the mountain rose at their sharpest angles, up to a height of six kilometers; the dark creator had intricate plans for these margins. From the heights of the margins to the peak, the rest of the mountain rose up to a height of twenty-four kilometers.

Towards the center of the peak, what would appear to lesser beings as a few magma chambers were situated not on the surface, but underneath. Directly above these were anything but ordinary calderas, for they were the surface of supervolcano systems of terrifying explosive power. The most powerful created being in existence had coveted to outdo the volcanic feats of a couple of character inspirations from contemporary fiction. Accordingly, she installed what would appear to lesser beings as supervolcano systems, instead of calderas more suitable for shield volcanoes. Were it not for the design being completely supernatural, it would have been impossible to construct and maintain, in the very midst of all these supervolcanoes, what was intended to be the central structure.

The mountain had a maximum width that was no less impressive. The area from the margins to the peak had to be more than enormous enough to accommodate the presence of the terrifying calderas, for with each supervolcano eruption came the collapse of the eruption area upon itself.

Thus did the Lesser Darkness rear Sefira Mons, an interstellar mountain that was truly worthy of her throne above the angels of God and beyond their mount of assembly.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The mountain Sefira Mons is inspired mainly by the shield volcano Olympus Mons on Mars and by the Yellowstone Caldera in Wyoming, but it is also inspired by the dormant volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii (from its oceanic base to sea level) and by the fictional mountains Taniquetil and Thangorodrim._


	4. Highly Concentric Design

**Highly Concentric Design**

With the fashioning of the mountain Sefira Mons complete, Sefira added more celestial properties to the darkest domain in all of celestial existence. One of these properties inhibited levitation and teleportation by any non-primordial being while in the realm, for the Lesser Darkness fancied pre-industrial movement.

The self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine then proceeded to pour all along the surrounding valley what would appear to lesser beings as a corrosive liquid. She had tweaked this liquid so as to be absolutely corrosive towards every celestial substance except the plains beyond the valley, the valley itself, the mountain, and the materials that were to be constructed upon the mountain. Afterwards, she dropped onto the moat a drawbridge system consisting of what would appear to lesser beings as a very lengthy metallic alloy.

She who arose in might shifted her focus towards the margins of the mountain. Here, she resolved to implement a highly concentric design: great wall upon great wall, battlement upon battlement, round fortified tower upon round fortified tower, and even maze level upon maze level. Here, she could afford to build that design with much more than a mere seven layers, one that stood on much more than a mere seven levels. Noting that the weapons of every non-primordial being represented a technological level that was nowhere near that required for the celestial equivalent of explosive shells, she proceeded to realize the pinnacle of her Byzantine design.

The dark creator built one great wall after another, one battlement after another, and one round fortified tower after another. Naturally, each component had a black colour. She made each great wall to be an astounding twenty meters thick, and mounted crenellated battlements upon each one. She crowned each round fortified tower with battlements of their own and with castle turrets, and also inserted arrowslits. She arranged the great walls and round fortified towers so as to form a confusing maze of paths leading to the heights of the mountain's margins. She deployed formidable, twin-towered keep-gatehouses upon each point of entry and exit throughout the maze. She turned the first two levels, in their entirety, into inner moats for the purposes of fire control and enhanced defense.

Afterwards, the Lesser Darkness established barracks, storehouses, workshops, and other lesser buildings throughout the levels, then stood in awe of her celestial craftsmanship on a grand scale.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The highly concentric design above is inspired by the thick layers of ancient Babylon's two-layered walls, the three-layered Theodosian Walls among the Walls of Constantinople, the concentric Beaumaris Castle, and the maze-ridden Himeji Castle. Fictionally speaking, this design for the margins of the mountain is Minas Tirith on steroids._


	5. Dark Gateway Of Divinity

**Dark Gateway Of Divinity**

Levitating towards the heights of the mountain's margins, Sefira prolonged her awe towards her own celestial craftsmanship with the Hammer of Death, viewing it from different angles while on the ascent. When her levitation was finished, the Lesser Darkness realized she had flown gracefully past the highly concentric defenses of what she now called the Darkest Domain.

Immediately beyond the highest and last of the great walls, and immediately past its twin-towered keep-gatehouse, did the Dark Herald build an unusual structure. She built a walled bailey with its own round fortified towers, then built in the middle a round barbican which led to an elevated, four-towered keep-gatehouse at a sharp-angled turn. This larger keep-gatehouse was situated so as to provide immediate protection from invaders moving towards the aforementioned, twin-towered keep-gatehouse. Only from this four-towered monstrosity could beings move further, towards the center of the peak. Afterwards, military logistics buildings were established all along the remaining sections of the highest and last great wall, far away from the supervolcanoes located towards the center.

Sefira then removed herself from the area and zoomed past the rising emptiness and the supervolcanoes beyond. She graced the immediate area surrounding the center of the peak with another but lesser concentric layout of black walls, towers, and gatehouses. Then, at the very top and center of Sefira Mons and the rest of the Darkest Domain, she swung her Hammer with utmost determination, aiming to build the central keep.

When most of the work was finished, she who arose in might returned to the bottom of the keep. The entire structure was as black as the other defenses and buildings made. However, it was split into two completely segregated parts, for there was no way inside to move between the lower, taller floors and the shorter floors beyond. Access between these segregated floors was possible only from the outside, by means of a spiral staircase barricaded by over three dozen fortified gates.

The next moment, she levitated in a spiral, around what she had just built. At the end of her upward motion, her gaze was held.

"This tower of adamant shall be the Dark Gateway of Divinity," she proclaimed the name of her keep, her dark tower.

This ascent of the Lesser Darkness had been for a full two kilometers, the entire skyscraping height of the Dark Gateway of Divinity.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The barbican placement past the great walls and gatehouses is inspired by the motte-and-bailey Sandal Castle's placement of its barbican inside the bailey itself, providing additional defense for the keep beyond. The four-towered keep-gatehouse is inspired by that of the concentric Harlech Castle. The three dozen-plus fortified gates of the central keep are inspired by the astounding fourteen gates of Hochosterwitz Castle, a rock castle. As for the dark tower itself, its name is loosely based on the Akkadian for Babylon, Babilim ("gate of the gods"), as well as the Biblical Tower of Babel._


	6. Nigh-Omnividence And Nigh-Omniaudience

**Nigh-Omnividence And Nigh-Omniaudience**

Hovering at the top of the Dark Gateway of Divinity, Sefira settled on what she would crown her edifice with. The Lesser Darkness desired something that would enable her to see as much of existence as only her mother and her uncle could. She also desired something that would enable her to hear as much of the omniverse, Creation itself, as only the Darkness and God could.

Granted, the two most powerful ones in existence, with their maximized or established capabilities regarding omnividence and omniaudience, would still be more than capable of avoiding the notice of this very thing. So, too, would all other primordial entities. Nevertheless, the created dark essence had other means of piercing through the ever-lesser shadows of those primordial beings under her sway.

With the Hammer of Death in her possession, she who arose in might swung it and shifted rapidly her hovering position in relation to the skyscraper, from one location to the next. The coveted object was beginning to take the shape of a perfectly round sphere, and was resting upon twelve strong arms extending from the apex of the dark tower. From one moment to the next, the object's other spherical properties became more and more apparent.

When finished, the most powerful created being in existence gazed upon her enormous device crowning the tower of adamant. Now, hope would surely leave all non-primordial forces, including the Heavens, intent on pointless resistance, for this monstrosity gave its dark creator ominous access to nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience. In relation to such beings, she could now hear all and see all, just like her mother since recently, and just like her uncle since the very beginning of being. All she had to do, in order to utilize its potential, was go inside this implement and position herself at its very center. Furthermore, she made it so that no other created being could use the device, for it would respond to her essence and hers alone.

The move inside then came.

"Before me," the Lesser Darkness, now at the center of her contraption atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, prepared to recite pridefully, "no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare!"


	7. Unholy Setup

**Unholy Setup**

Inside the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, Sefira felt a rush of power coursing through her essence. At the very center of her Darkest Domain, the Lesser Darkness welcomed the ability to see all non-primordial beings, wherever they were throughout the omniverse that was Creation itself, and she also welcomed the ability to hear them all.

Because of collective warping of time by the Dark Archangels and Dark Arch-Nephilim, their dark creator saw no need to cast an immediate gaze of darkness upon anything celestial, for such could not escape the temporal manipulation. She turned to the primary purpose of her realm, and then images of those intelligent creations of hers who lived on the physical plane appeared on all the edges of her contraption.

These beings, the Adonim, were the ones that she had created in her new image of the Darkness and God. These were the beings that were created as the result of the use of controlled darkness, unlike the humanity that had been created as the result of the use of uncontrolled darkness.

"Let's see," she drawled, "Uncle arranged a setup for his unrefined representations of the existential balance to, at some point, eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. However, they ate the forbidden fruit too early."

During that moment, the Dark Herald drew upon her preternatural knowledge of the event, including all its participants and all the other intricate details. A smirk emerged on her face.

"I will set up my superior creations, my refined representations of the existential balance, in a more dramatic manner. I will set them up to be dependent upon me physically as well as spiritually, and they will obey me," she resolved darkly.

She then instructed her Dark Archangels and their Dark Arch-Nephilim to release from their manipulation of time the Adonim, their worlds, and all relevant astronomical objects. Afterwards, she executed her unholy setup.

Immediately, the Adonim were subjected to the hardship of life-threatening thirst and hunger. No matter which dimension of the omniverse they resided, they had become emaciated and were fearful of their impending deaths immediately after their genesis. Without any remorse for her near-genocidal act, the capricious Lesser Darkness had made these physical creations of hers go through a most gruesome test.


	8. Dark Language

**Dark Language**

Sefira witnessed her intelligent creations display beggarly gestures for her to sustain them with the physical nourishment needed to survive. The Lesser Darkness relished in the language she had conceptualized for, and given to, the Adonim as part of their preternatural knowledge, for they would use it shortly.

The dark language was, to her, perfect in every way. The alphabet included over thirty vowels, over fifty pulmonic consonants, and over forty click consonants. It also included many other assorted consonants, as well as diacritics and prosodic marks. For ease of communication, the nouns were genderless.

The personal pronouns in the dark language were grouped into four cases. While there was the full use of subjective, direct objective, and possessive personal pronouns, there was also the partial use of indirect objective personal pronouns. Despite this simple division, each case consisted of an astounding thirteen personal pronouns.

In designing the dark language, the most knowledgeable created being in existence did not settle for a more limited set of personal pronouns per case. She made her mark on the language by establishing the word _ego_ as the majestic first-person gender-neutral singular form of a subjective personal pronoun, and by establishing the word _eziz_ as the majestic third-person gender-neutral singular form of a subjective personal pronoun. These, along with their direct objective, possessive, and indirect objective counterparts, were to be used in relation to her alone. Meanwhile, these were established as additional kinds of distinct personal pronouns in the subjective case: _vu_ for the formal second-person gender-neutral singular, _tus_ for the informal second-person gender-neutral plural, _id_ for the inanimate third-person gender-neutral singular, and _ziz_ for the non-majestic third-person gender-neutral singular.

Sefira ensured the absence of irregularity amongst the verbs of her dark language, and also established seven grammatical moods for them. The indicative or declarative mood consisted of simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous aspects, which in turn consisted of past, present, and future tenses. The conditional mood also consisted of simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous aspects. The epistemic moods consisted of the interrogative and subjunctive moods, while the deontic moods consisted of the imperative, necessitative, and optative moods. For her, the beauty of each tense of this dark language lay in its consistently morphological nature and in its use of only one conjugation.

The Lesser Darkness prepared for the Adonim to use this dark language to beg from her verbally.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Below is the full list of subjective personal pronouns in the dark language created by Sefira:_

Io  
 _(First-person gender-neutral singular – non-majestic_ – _from Italian and somewhat from Spanish)_

Ego  
 _(First-person gender-neutral singular_ – _majestic_ – _from Proto-Indo-European, Old Latin, and Classical Latin, as well as Greek)_

Wei  
 _(First-person gender-neutral plural_ – _from Proto-Indo-European)_

Tu  
 _(_ _Second-person gender-neutral singular_ – _informal_ – _from Proto-Indo-European, Old Latin, and Classical Latin, as well as most Romance languages_ _)_

Vu  
 _(Second-person gender-neutral singular_ – _formal_ – _from Lombard and somewhat from French)_

Tus  
 _(Second-person gender-neutral plural_ – _informal)_

Vus  
 _(_ _Second-person gender-neutral plural_ – _formal_ – _from Romansh_ _)_

Iz  
 _(Third-person masculine singular_ – _non-majestic_ – _from Proto-Germanic and somewhat from Classical Latin)_

Zi  
 _(Third-person feminine singular_ – _non-majestic)_

Id  
 _(Third-person gender-neutral singular_ – _inanimate_ – _from Classical Latin and somewhat from Proto-Germanic)_

Ziz  
 _(Third-person gender-neutral singular_ – _non-majestic)_

Eziz  
 _(Third-person gender-neutral singular_ – _majestic)_

Idz  
 _(Third-person gender-neutral plural)_


	9. Most Unholy Communion

**Most Unholy Communion**

Sefira noted the verbal begging of her intelligent creations for her to enable them to survive. Intent on having the Adonim partake of a most unholy communion, the Lesser Darkness presented odd materials to her dying creations everywhere. She had sent to them drinks from the forbidden fruit, actual fruit from the Tree of Life, fish with their bones still in them, and stones. She then directed every single Adon to the drinks.

"Drink from it, all of you," she recited her command briefly before continuing otherwise, "for you will not die."

Without hesitation, those who heard her gulped their drinks from the forbidden fruit. Just as she had indeed told them, they did not die. Not only did they not perish, but their life-threatening thirsts were quenched. However, because of their preternatural knowledge, their proverbial eyes were not opened.

She who became the craftiest being in existence then directed those she had created in the new image of the Darkness and God to the fruits from the Tree of Life. Due to the continuing grip of life-threatening hunger over them, they were in no condition at all to look prouder than ever, much less triumphant, as a result of consuming the fruits.

"Now receive the abundance of grace," she recited again before continuing otherwise, "by stretching out your hand and consuming this fruit."

Without hesitation, those who heard her stretched out their hands and consumed the fruits from the Tree of Life that had been set before them. Even after their urgent act, they found no contentment from the food they had eaten. Indeed, all they found was despair.

Immediately, these desperate ones craved for something meatier, and were overcome with the smell of fish nearby. They begged Sefira to rush towards the fish, only to be cautioned about the need for patience and faith. Still, their cravings got the better of them, and their superior resisted the urge to smile before making a long trench on the ground of each community.

"Very well," the Lesser Darkness feigned a concession, "cross this trench and feast upon the fish."

Each community of Adonim throughout Creation crossed the trench drawn before them, without hesitation, and rushed towards the fish nearby.

* * *

 _Author's Note: "To look prouder than ever, much less triumphant" and "all they found was despair" are inspired by the dire consequences for Jadis due to attaining everlasting youth improperly in C.S. Lewis's_ The Magician's Nephew _. Meanwhile, the later narrative of Adonim crossing the line to eat food mirrors the fictional parable of the unbelieving Markon in_ Stargate SG-1 _._


	10. Turned Into Bread

**Turned Into Bread**

The Adonim had, in a way, crossed lines established by Sefira, in their pursuit of food. Shortly after, they came across the fish nearby and proceeded to gorge upon them. No sooner did they begin their feasting than they choked on the bones that were still within. The Lesser Darkness had deceived them for her own amusement, and now felt that she had matched her uncle's fatal plague against gluttons who each attempted to eat an entire month's supply of quail in one sitting.

"You of little faith, why did you doubt?" she recited her feigned disappointment, before disintegrating the fishbones for the sake of her victims.

Interpreting their choking as punishment for leaving their homes, the playthings rushed back swiftly, only to find that the long trenches they crossed earlier had now become frightening chasms of certain death. What followed shocked them to the core of their being, for they were enjoined to walk on thin air.

"Take leaps of faith," cooed their tormentor.

While those created in the new image of the Darkness and God pleaded for and obtained forgiveness, they could not avoid the challenge. Not one of them avoided falling along the way for lack of faith, only to be saved immediately and rebuked by their maker.

After enjoining the Adonim to go through the psychological ordeal of crossing the chasms with no pathway beneath them, Sefira presented each of them with stones.

"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed," she recited again, preparing for the miraculous feats to come.

"You will," she prepared to recite her challenge, "command these stones to become loaves of bread."

Without hesitation, those who heard her did as they were told, and then the stones before them were turned into bread. In haste, the intelligent creations stuffed themselves with the bread.

After those in the new image of the Darkness and God had eaten their fill, it was felt by she who arose in might that parching, starving, and subsequently nourishing them had reinforced the preternatural lesson that they lived, even physically, not on the usual nourishments, but on what the Lesser Darkness decreed they could live on.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of Matthew 14:28-33 regarding leaps of faith and of the synoptic Matthew 4:1-4 and Luke 4:1-4 regarding spiritual vs. physical livelihood over the course of the two chapters, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards the anti-gluttony plague in Numbers 11 and towards one passage in the Bible's first canonical book: Deuteronomy 8:2-3. This referred to consuming new kinds of nourishment for physical survival and obedience to that end. Little does she know that she herself is being observed._


	11. Did Arise In Might

**Did Arise In Might**

After imparting her most experiential lesson upon the Adonim, Sefira remembered that five of her Instruments of the Darkness had not yet been recharged fully. The Lesser Darkness had altered the Natural Order itself by implementing transmigration, the rebirth of souls, and had thus expended great power from those particular Instruments.

As for reincarnation, this prolonged greatly the time needed for the affected souls to enter the renovated, monster-less Purgatory. Males of all intelligent species were now destined to reincarnate as different males of the same species, and females of all intelligent species were now destined similarly. Only their unremitting veneration of the most powerful created being in existence would release their souls into the altered Purgatory.

Equipped with the depleted Instruments, the Dark Herald resolved to experience mass veneration for the first time, from within her means of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience that was the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity.

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me," she recited, taking great care not to mention the Heavens proper or the Bar created by her divine uncle.

"You are hereby commanded, O Adonim, to prostrate yourselves and venerate the Active Divine Feminine," she commanded, "who allots stewardship to whom she pleases. Then may you fill your world and exercise stewardship upon it, including the seas beneath and the heaven above."

Thus, as soon as those created in the new image of the Darkness and God heard the command, they fell down and worshipped their object of veneration. In doing so, their mass veneration generated the renewable power required for Sefira to recharge her Instruments.

From every supermassive galaxy she had created within every universe of Creation to contain tens of trillions of advanced planetary systems, from every advanced planetary system she had created within every older galaxy created by her uncle, and from every lesser planetary system she had altered to contain up to five superhabitable planets, the dark creator relished all the mass veneration being lavished upon her. She delighted in the pioneering success of her very own Adon vessel absorbing the associated renewable power and reflecting the remainder towards her Instruments. With each passing moment of mass veneration, she did arise in might once again.

The moment of accomplishment then came, and the Lesser Darkness no longer possessed any Instrument that was not at full power.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of the synoptic Matthew 4:8-10 and Luke 4:5-8 regarding worldly power, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards the human stewardship mandated in Genesis 1:28._

 _Recapped below are the features of each advanced planetary system she created, based on 70 Ophiuchi A, Kepler-11, Kepler-90, HR 8799, Gliese 570D, and TYC 9486-927-1:_

 _One Goldilocks star, a host star for one or more habitable planets;_

 _Seven innermost planets before the circumstellar habitable zone, each being just a tad larger than the Earth;_

 _Maximum possible size for the circumstellar habitable zone, where one or more habitable planets can have their orbit;_

 _Five superhabitable planets in the zone, each having more suitable conditions than Earth itself for live to evolve, each having twice to six times Earth's mass, and each having 1.3 to 1.6 times Earth's radius;_

 _One Ganymede-sized moon orbiting each one;_

 _Two massive solid planets, or mega-Earths, between the edge of the zone and Jupiter orbit;_

 _Two Ganymede-sized moons orbiting each one;_

 _Three ice giants further out;_

 _Three Ganymede-sized moons and many, much smaller moons orbiting each one;_

 _Three larger-than-Jupiter gas giants even further out, up to a thousand astronomical units' worth of orbiting distance;_

 _Five Ganymede-sized moons and many, much smaller moons orbiting each one; and_

 _One orbiting brown dwarf situated farthest out, up to seven thousand astronomical units' worth of orbiting distance._


	12. Flaunt Of Augmented Power

**Flaunt Of Augmented Power**

Now that all ten Instruments of the Darkness had been recharged fully, Sefira could not help but be most impressed at the sheer rapidity of the process that had been their recharging. Moreover, the Lesser Darkness was now free to utilize often the five Instruments equipped on her person, in a manner that would free up the six Dark Archangels and the four Dark Arch-Nephilim from their temporal manipulation duties.

She who arose in might had yet to become capable of matching the supremely divine feat of her mother and her uncle to manipulate time across all Creation to almost, just almost, a standstill, she was more than capable of matching, and even exceeding, the collective manipulation of time that her dark creations exerted. While continuing to leave unaffected the Adonim, their worlds, and all relevant astronomical objects, she could, using only her Instruments, make a great many years pass by within a single day: 1,000, 1,656, 4,902, 7,000, 7,885, 43,200, 65,390, 157,704, 241,200, 432,000, everything in between, and even many beyond.

Sefira made her decision and exerted a flaunt of augmented power, her augmented power. Once she bore witness to the temporal results in all their grandness, she called out to her dark creations.

"Creations of primordial darkness, cease your work and answer your master's summon!" she issued her summon.

The Dark Archangels and their Dark Arch-Nephilim heard the terrifying summon emanate from the Dark Gateway of Divinity. Immediately, they teleported like wraiths hurtling themselves in an obsessive direction, with the dark tower as their destination. Upon arrival, they prostrated themselves before their dark summoner.

"Hallowed, hallowed, hallowed, be the Active Divine Feminine," the darkly ten gave glorification and prepared to recite, "who was and is and is to come."

After reciting, they swiftly took their places near her.

With those summoned all present and accounted for, the Dark Herald returned her attention towards the Adonim, who continued to pay homage to her. Again did their mass veneration generate the renewable power required for her to recharge her Instruments in a timely manner.

Again did the Lesser Darkness accomplish that recharge.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The number 1,656 refers to the Biblical duration of the antediluvian, or pre-Flood, era. The numbers 4,902 and 65,390 refer to the disparate lengths of the First Age in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien. The numbers 7,885 and 157,704 refer to the number of years in the Mayan piktun and kalabtun, respectively. The numbers 43,200 and 241,200 refer to the longest reign and the duration of the entire antediluvian era, respectively, in the Sumerian King List. The number 432,000 refers to an alternate duration of the antediluvian era in Mesopotamia, as well as to the duration of Hinduism's Kali Yuga._


	13. New Celestial Soldiers

**New Celestial Soldiers**

Fully augmented, Sefira turned to the matter of populating the Darkest Domain. The Lesser Darkness had not forgotten about the numbers required to maintain what was supposed to be an impregnable base of operations.

Without a second thought, the most powerful created being in existence conjured motionless bodies of additional Adonim just outside the Dark Gateway of Divinity, enough for an entire celestial host. She ensured that these bodies had adequate runes and spellwork of severe restraint crafted upon them, for she wanted them to be helpless in the face of her control over their motions and abilities, in the unlikely event of their rebellion against her. She then, with the Hammer of Death in her possession, implemented a multi-tiered upgrade on the bodies.

"Undisputedly under you ten," she called the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim nearby, "shall there be nine ranks of far lesser celestial soldiers who will be capable of growing their numbers."

With the multi-tiered upgrade, Sefira desired for these new celestial soldiers to retain the same reproductive capabilities as their non-upgraded brethren, yet match the celestial hierarchies in the two Heavens. Despite these aims, she was worried about the possibility of the omniverse being overpopulated with beings capable of accessing, whether innately or through augmentations, the dark equivalent of the base powers of Holy Living Ones, Wheels, Valiant Ones, or Electric Ones, and thus inviting divine retribution from her uncle. Moreover, she wanted the ten nearby to retain significant leverage over the new creations.

"You shall have legions of pawns at your disposal, be they," she declared, then recited, "thrones or dominions or rulers or powers."

"Or any other rank I make so," she continued, then established all the celestial ranks of Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments.

"That you may match the Seraphim, Tarshishim, regular Malakhim, Elyonim, Elim, Bene Elim, first-class and second-class Cherubim, and Ishim," she referred to the non-elite ranks of the Commonwealth of Heaven.

Subsequent to the words came the dark imbuement of the new creations, for they were to have the preternatural knowledge that was necessary for them to fulfill their roles. While this unfolded, a dark idea emerged to dissuade the Lesser Darkness from her intent to merely send these beings away, whether away from the nearby area or away for deployment within her dark tower.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The hierarchy of new celestial soldiers is inspired by the Christian angelic hierarchies of Aurelius Ambrosius, Pope Gregory I, and Pseudo-Dionysius, by the fallen ranks mentioned in the epistolary Ephesians 6:12, and by the apocryphal angelic hierarchy defined in 2 Enoch 20:1. Recapped below is the full hierarchy of celestial subjects based in the Darkest Domain:_

 _The four Dark Arch-Nephilim and six Dark Archangels – Apollyon, Mashhit, Hemah, and Af, plus Samael, Mashbir, Kezef, Hasmed, Haron, and Peor;_

 _The initially dozens-numbered Thrones;_

 _The initially hundreds-numbered Dominations;_

 _The initially thousands-numbered Origins;_

 _The initially thousands-numbered Potentates;_

 _The initially thousands-numbered Principalities;_

 _The initially thousands-numbered Authorities;_

 _The millions-numbered Incorporeal Powers;_

 _The millions-numbered Virtues; and_

 _The millions-numbered Regiments._

 _The Origins, first mentioned in the aforementioned apocryphal book, have been introduced as the celestial equivalent of regular Angels (Malakhim)._


	14. Coronae Circumcisions

**Coronae Circumcisions**

Although the new celestial soldiers had adequate runes and spellwork of severe restraint crafted upon the bodies of their physical vessels, Sefira desired for another indication of their allegiance to her. The Lesser Darkness wanted that which was forbidden to angels, and made this known to the non-primordial beings before her.

"Circumcision is a matter of the heart," she recited darkly.

The self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine remembered the Divine injunction which prohibited the angels from removing, voluntarily, even a small portion of their grace. No similar injunction existed which prevented her newest creations from surrendering portions of their rechargeable core being.

"Since long ago, there have been many mortals who, throughout their generations, have circumcised their female offspring, in devotions of fidelity to their so-called 'gods,'" she summarized the history of female genital mutilation. She did so because the expected pain from the dark surrender to come was comparable to that resulting from this mortal procedure, rather than that resulting from male circumcision.

"Now if these mortals were willing to inflict unforgettable trauma upon their female offspring for the love of their so-called 'gods,' why shouldn't you do the same upon yourselves for me?" she challenged them.

"Circumcise the coronae of your core beings!" Sefira commanded regarding the outermost layers of her affected subjects.

"Throughout your generations, you shall surrender these to me," she continued, "Whether you are of the Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, or Regiments, you must become circumcised. This act shall be the sign of my beneficence toward you, for I have eschewed from taking all your core beings and have left you the remainder for recharging."

Immediately upon hearing these words, the new celestial soldiers circumcised the coronae of their core beings, and did so without hesitation. Their dark creator collected all the removed coronae, then sent most of her circumcised subjects away from the nearby area and deployed the remainder within her dark tower.

Once the Darkest Domain had been populated fully, the Lesser Darkness then returned her attention towards the mass veneration from the Adonim.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of the circumcision controversies referenced in the epistular works of the New Testament (such as Romans 2:29), but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards the metaphorical circumcision of the heart in the Deuteronomistic works._

 _Meanwhile, the foreboding rhetorical question is inspired by Damien Thorn's diabolical challenge to Harvey Dean in_ Omen III: The Final Conflict _, while the use of the word "corona" is inspired by both the corona radiata layer of an embryo and by the corona layer of a star._


	15. Embodiment And Marks

**Embodiment And Marks**

As Sefira continued to relish all the mass veneration that was still being lavished upon her by the Adonim, philosophical musings on power were expressed verbally. Though the Lesser Darkness was an entity of the primordial basis of dark matter, she became open to conveying to her non-primordial creations and to her uncle's own creations that they should broaden their perception of the active Divine.

"I may have been premature in declaring myself per se as the only active Divine," she mumbled a confession, "for the active Divine is a mystical system. I am merely the only living embodiment of this."

She who arose in might mumbled further her description of this mystical system. Like two or even three would-be apocalyptic figures with seven heads and ten horns, she had seventeen terrifying extensions of her innate power: her direct possession that had been a supermassive Leviathan gestalt, her indirect possession that was a supernaturally enhanced Adon vessel, the maximum five Instruments of the Darkness that could augment her base power at any given time, and the ten sets of severely restraining runes and spellwork within the six Dark Archangels and the four Dark Arch-Nephilim. Similar to one or two of the aforementioned apocalyptic figures, she possessed many titles of power that her uncle had considered sacrilegious, for she gave herself three and was given at least seven more by her darkly ten.

Also, like a separate would-be apocalyptic figure with a lamb-like feature and a dragon-like one, Sefira had her means of persuading particular intelligent creations. Unlike that figure, she thought that having each of them marked in the forehead or on it, or in the right hand or on it, so that they could qualify for economic activities, was inadequate.

"Why have them marked only like that," she mumbled with a smirk, before resolving to be more domineering, "when they could be marked in and on the forehead, and also in and on the dominant hand?"

"Why have them marked only," she prepared to recite the rest of her rhetorical question, "so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark?"

"Why have them marked for that, when they could be marked so that none may even receive daily nourishment without having all four marks?" concluded the Lesser Darkness, who then commanded each of the reverent Adonim to be marked accordingly.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of the 12th, 13th and 17th chapters of the disputed work of Revelation, chapters regarding the evil beasts, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards Divinely ordained marks in Ezekiel 9:4-6 and even literal interpretations of Deuteronomy 6:8._


	16. Unfree Labour

**Unfree Labour**

Once all the Adonim received their marks in and on the forehead, and also in and on the dominant hand, Sefira made a declaration of work relations.

"With these marks, I now declare all of you," began the Lesser Darkness, "my unfree labourers."

The inspirations behind her now-realized manipulation of the renewable power generated by mass veneration inspired her yet again. These fictional deities had organized their corporeal worshippers across a multitude of worlds into societies based specifically on medieval serfdom, wherein the unfortunate ones entered into bondage under the powerful ones and worked the latter's fields, forests, mines, and roads, in exchange for protection and even justice.

With that declaration, the most powerful created being in existence wanted greater flexibility in reaping the benefits of unfree labour. She had asserted boldly to her divine uncle her prideful intent to introduce penal labour for the purposes of having constructed the longest, widest, and tallest temples and surrounding complexes throughout the omniverse, once her subjects had reached sufficient numbers. Not mentioned in that assertion was the more important resolution of imitating the authorities of ancient Egypt and ancient China by exacting corvée labour on a very regular basis from her innocent subjects on the physical plane. For daily living, she intended to put them all into situations that could not be dealt with satisfactorily except by means of their entry into indentured servitude under her, just as many unfortunate ones entered into this debt bondage in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. Thus, the establishment of non-medieval serfdom not unlike that in ancient Persia would merely multiply her subjects' labour obligations, for their access to protection and justice would not be a condition of their becoming her bonded labourers.

One form of unfree labour Sefira had no plan to impose was chattel slavery, for she wanted to maintain bragging rights against none other than God himself. As part of her long-term goal of supplanting the latter as the object of mass veneration by all other intelligent species besides the Adonim, the non-imposition of this form of slavery was to be a perpetual reminder of the contrast between her active leadership and perceived negligence on the part of her uncle.

The Lesser Darkness proceeded to explain all of these goals to the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim by her side.


	17. Petitionary Prayers And Ecstasy

**Petitionary Prayers And Ecstasy**

Returning her attention to the Adonim, Sefira emphasized that, from now on, the receiving of even daily nourishment was forbidden to those among their descendants who did not receive all four marks. Afterwards, the Lesser Darkness received the very first petitionary prayers of all these intelligent creations of hers.

"Grace us," they prayed, then petitioned concerning wisdom, inner inclinations, and a couple of other things. Immediately, they received these.

"Heal us," they prayed, then petitioned for healing.

"Bless," they supplicated, then mentioned agricultural produce in their petition before continuing, "the face of the earth."

"Let there be no hope," they then uttered a communal curse, "for irreverent creations who make even the slightest of insulting utterances concerning you."

Before the communal curse had been said, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine had made known to the declarants the punishments for what she deemed to be everlasting blasphemy.

"Inspire us," they requested, "to seize them and devote them to destruction without mercy. May these perpetrators of everlasting blasphemy be unforgiven even in mortal death, and may they remain unforgiven and accursed in all subsequent reincarnations."

The Adonim then petitioned regarding the devout amongst themselves, before continuing, "Grant a blessed afterlife to all who remain devout to you throughout their one or more reincarnations."

Upon hearing those words, the petitioned authority reminded herself that such persevering devotees would be most worthy of fewer reincarnations before their souls entered the altered Purgatory and then the Commonwealth of Heaven.

"O Active Divine Feminine, answer us!" the Adonim suddenly raised their voices in ecstasy.

Sefira was caught off guard by those audacious words. She had expected her petitioners to implore her very humbly to listen to their voices, to accept their prayers, and not to turn them away empty-handed. Instead, they reminded her of hundreds of self-proclaimed, human-sacrificing prophets of Baal, who called without success for their pseudo-deity's miraculous response. More importantly, they reminded her of the very recent mockery heaped upon her by her uncle, who had implied she was no different from that pseudo-deity when all her innate and augmented power had been divinely negated, for she had been incapable of restoring her power.

Nevertheless, the Lesser Darkness shrugged off the momentary coincidence, regained her composure, and fulfilled her intelligent creations' petitionary prayers.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Now what or who could be responsible for the Adonim's momentary and ecstatic irreverence?_


	18. Generations To The Test

**Generations To The Test**

Within the far-reaching warping of time, it seemed that several years had passed since Sefira had first utilized the renewable power generated by the mass veneration of her by the Adonim. The first generation of the latter had become fruitful, had multiplied, and had filled their worlds. A second generation of those created in the new image of the Darkness and God had thus been born.

Some time afterward, after those of that generation had been raised into adulthood of their own, the Lesser Darkness reintroduced herself to the species, then put parts of both generations to the test.

"Take your adult firstborn, go to the place I will choose, and bring up your offspring with an inspiration of your devotion to me," she instructed.

"For one," she prepared to recite, "who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son."

Immediately, all the Adonim misheard the instruction. Those of the first generation thought that they had just been told to sacrifice the adult firstborn among those of the second generation. Since none of them had any history of arguing with perceived divinity, none of them were willing to challenge her; all of them went along. As the adult firstborn were being led to potential sacrifice, both they and their prospective killers resented what they thought had been the instruction given, and so they tested their dark creator in their minds for supernatural intervention on her part.

For her part, Sefira was concerned that her intelligent creations had misheard her, especially without question. She knew she would have to prevent the forthcoming filicides, and so she held the Lilin around the participants in reserve.

The time came, and all those Lilin revealed themselves to the prospective killers and demanded, "Desist from sacrificing your firstborn! Because you two have shown your devotion to the Active Divine Feminine, by not withholding yourselves from your ordeal, I have been ordered to protect you wherever you go. I have been commanded to keep you two safe, for you know the name of the exclusive active Divine."

For someone who expressed a craving for certain kinds of blatant killing in her name, the Lesser Darkness was now reminded sharply of her uncle's earlier caution about intelligent creations committing horrible actions while invoking her name.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of the synoptic Matthew 4:5-7 and Luke 4:9-12 regarding testing of the Divine, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards the protective assurance of Psalm 91:9-14 and towards subversive interpretations of Genesis 22 regarding Abraham and the Divine: the former mishearing the latter not commanding a sacrifice, the former testing the latter's covenantal commitment to Isaac and his lineage, and the former failing the latter's final test of justice. This time, however, things do not go as intended, and she has to recall Chuck's caution from_ Back At The Bar _._


	19. Dark Redeemer Of Humans

**Dark Redeemer Of Humans**

Meanwhile, not forgotten by Sefira were actual human beings she had reincarnated earlier. Before her mother and her uncle, the Lesser Darkness had reincarnated the souls of all humans who died before or during infancy.

These humans were resettled on planetary systems adequately distant from those of the Adonim. The systems themselves were existing ones, not ones that had just been created. Also, they were not as magnificent as those created or enhanced for those created in the new image of the Darkness and God.

Nonetheless, at least one world within each system had more suitable conditions than Earth itself for life to evolve. Each such resettlement world was abundant in arable lands, such that those lands could become lands of wheat fields, grain fields, corn fields, and vineyards, in addition to their being already lands of vines, fig trees, pomegranate shrubs, and honeycombs. Each such resettlement world had the potential to yield, through physical intervention, fills of bread, beer, corn, and wine, as well as of olive oil, figs, pomegranates, and honey, so that its inhabitants could live and not starve to death. Each such resettlement world was designed to yield in abundance, without physical intervention, less basic foods such as cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic. Each such resettlement world contained fauna in abundance, such that their meat could overflow not just entire fleshpots, but even the nostrils of those who consumed them.

Deep within the Darkest Domain, from within the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, the living cause of reincarnation switched her attention towards the humans affected. To the extent that her extensive manipulation of time affected them, she withdrew it. With the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim by her side, she proceeded to explain to them her plans for these humans.

"I have given these ill-fortuned humans another chance," disclosed the dark redeemer of humans, "Now, they shall know their place and venerate me, for I have earned it."

"There are three who bear witness above Creation," the ten responded in unison, "the Divine Darkness, the Divine God, and the Active Divine Feminine – and they are triune!"

The Lesser Darkness acknowledged the unanimous salute coming from her most powerful of living creations.

* * *

 _Author's Note: This chapter was written as homage to the official Season 13 finale "Let the Good Times Roll." The imagery of the resettlement worlds for the reincarnated humans is inspired by the human grumblings of Exodus 16:3, Numbers 11:4-6, and Numbers 11:19-20, the providential description of Deuteronomy 8:8-9, and the false promise of 2 Kings 18:31-32. Meanwhile, the response of the ten is inspired by the disputed Comma Johanneum, a corruptive Latin insertion of Trinitarian doctrine into 1 John 5:7._


	20. Exacting One

**Exacting One**

Following the conversation with the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim, Sefira gave a lengthy introduction of herself to the reincarnated humans as their redeemer. Over the course of this introduction, two titles the Lesser Darkness made known to them were Sovereign Sustainer of All and Sovereign Redeemer of the Stillborn and Newborn Dead.

"From stillborn death you delivered us, O Lesser Darkness, and from newborn death you redeemed us!" shouted the transplants, "How can we repay you for this great providence, these miracles for those who have otherwise been cast aside?"

"You will bow down and profess worshipfully your utmost devotion unto me, your sustainer, deliverer, and redeemer," came the uncompromising ultimatum, echoing in amplified form the one-time ambitions of a celestial being elsewhere.

"Mass prostration and mass veneration," continued the exacting one, "You will render unto me the first which is mine, and unto me the second which is mine, also."

"I have brought you into lands suitable for wheat fields, grain fields, corn fields, and vineyards," boasted Sefira,  
"Lands of vines, fig trees, pomegranate shrubs, and honey,  
Lands that can yield fills of bread, beer, corn, and wine,  
Lands that can yield fills of olive oil, figs, pomegranates, and honey,  
Lands that can yield cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic,  
And lands inhabited in abundance by creatures which can become your meat."

"I, the Sovereign Above All Created Celestials," declared the bold one, "have given you more than enough to eat food without scarcity, to lack not anything, to be well-off, and to experience no misfortune. In my honour alone shall all of you pour each of your libations and make each of your sacred cakes and other offerings. For my offerings alone shall the children among you gather the sanctified wood, the fathers among you kindle the sanctified fire, and the mothers among you knead the sanctified dough."

Towards this did no objections arise amongst the reincarnated humans, for they wished to express once and again their gratitude to the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The inspirations for the titles "Sovereign Sustainer of All" and "Sovereign Redeemer of the Stillborn and Newborn Dead" are the fictional titles "Lord of the Earth" and "King of Men," while the inspiration for the title "Sovereign Above All Created Celestials" is the pagan title "Queen of Heaven" referenced in Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:16-18._


	21. Diverse Forces

**Diverse Forces**

The reincarnated humans proceeded to comply with the ultimatum issued by Sefira.

"Let us bow, prostrate, and give thanks," these creations in the original image of the Darkness and God said in doing so,  
"To the Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence.  
Hallowed and exalted be the Active Divine Feminine,  
Who extends all and establishes our worlds,  
Who is enthroned beyond the Mount of Celestial Assembly,  
And who is the Most High by anointed right from the Divine Presence."

The Lesser Darkness felt the renewable power generated by their mass veneration course through her physical vessel. During the experience, a delightful thought came across her mind.

"Thus these, whom Uncle wanted to be his partners in Creation, have become my supplicants and subjects!" she exclaimed, then returned her full attention to these beings.

"I shall make supernatural helpers for you," she announced, "for it would be unfair for you to be redeemed, only for your reproductive cells not destined naturally for conventional fertilization to not fulfill their potential."

The dark creator desired to repeat what had been done with regards to the original Adonim. Back then, she created the Lilin as living reproductive cell banks and gestational surrogates, for she aimed to enhance the proliferation of those Adonim throughout the omniverse. This enhancement had not been done out of supernatural altruism, for it increased greatly the mass veneration that she received. What was about to be repeated had an ulterior motive that was no different.

Beyond the additional mass veneration, the most powerful created being in existence planned to have at her disposal diverse forces of her own, each more numerous than sand on a seashore. With the many celestial soldiers across the Darkest Domain, the multitudes of Adonim, the reincarnated humans, and even the nigh-countless Lilin, she intended to make clear to the rest of Creation that her will to power was irresistible. This did she reveal to the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim by her side.

"May you be glorified and sublime!" the ten uttered in unison.

Afterwards, the Lesser Darkness put her Hammer of Death to use again, brought many more Lilin into being, and deployed them to the worlds of her human subjects.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira's boast, about the reincarnated humans having become her supplicants and subjects, is inspired by the ultimate boast of Christian novelist James BeauSeigneur's Antichrist in_ Acts of God _._


	22. Changer Of Times

**Changer Of Times**

Steeped in contemplation was Sefira, concerning mass veneration in relation to the times ahead. Despite the growing numbers of Adonim and redeemed humans throughout Creation, the Lesser Darkness calculated that prolonged prostration did not yield the most renewable power required for her to recharge her Instruments.

Originally, the emulative one sought to realize customs from contemporary fiction, wherein prostration lasted for several hours. She was flexible enough not to be dogmatic on this relatively minor detail, for what mattered were the quantities of renewable power themselves. An alternative emerged, which she shared with her adorers.

"My providence be upon you!" the Dark Herald greeted them.

"When I created your worlds and their moons, I created their motions to be in accordance with my established times," she alluded to the orbital and rotational speeds of these bodies, and also defined how time was to pass for her adorers.

The authoritative one was dissatisfied with the blatant inconsistency of other intelligent creations' established times, even though their worlds were not situated optimally within their individual planetary systems. Even with her uncle's established times was she dissatisfied. Fortunately for her, she had a consistent alternative in mind.

"One year has one score of months, and one month has one score of days," she revealed to her adorers her division of their calendar year into twenty months, as well as her division of their month into twenty days.

"So long as your worlds endure, for night and day shall you not cease your activities, including these privileged activities," she spoke, then listed every single privileged activity she had in mind.

"Nonetheless, every tenth day of every month is a special commemoration in my honour," she stipulated something special for every tenth day, "On such a day shall you do no privileged activity, none of the aforementioned activities, for I have changed the times and their rules so that your days may be long upon your worlds."

In saying that, the changer of times was most literal with her words. Though her subjects were supposed to have long lives, the Lesser Darkness had in mind longer days for them to do what needed to be done.


	23. Established Times

**Established Times**

Though Sefira had defined her established times for the growing numbers of Adonim and redeemed humans throughout Creation, she defined only their calendar year and the frequency of their regular commemoration days. The Lesser Darkness could discern their collective curiosity towards the calendar day itself.

For this changer of time, the most important inspiration that came to mind when designing her calendar day was decimal time. Base ten was to be the basis for all divisions of this day. With the use of this, one year of hers would be over a fourth longer than an Earth year, and one day of hers would be over a seventh longer than an Earth day. One day of hers would indeed be long upon the worlds she had designated for those created in the new image of the Darkness and God, and also for those redeemed ones created in the original one.

Two more inspirations came to mind, as well. One came from ancient Egypt, and was the basis of hours in that civilization. The other came from ancient China, and it measured a shorter period of time.

"As for the day itself, one day has ten decans," she revealed to her adorers her first division of their day, relaying in the process part of her first inspiration and all of her second one.

"One decan has ten stounds," she uttered her second division of their day, using the Old English word for hours.

"One stound has ten stoundal marks, one stoundal mark has ten decimarks," she continued with her third and fourth divisions of their days, expressing all of her third inspiration that was the approximate equivalent of one quarter-hour.

"And one decimark has ten seconds," she concluded, relaying in the process the remainder of her first inspiration, yet allowing the second as a unit of time to remain the same.

"You shall not be anything less than punctual towards these established times," warned the Lesser Darkness, "for during the daily times to be commanded, you shall perform proper prostration towards the Active Divine Feminine."


	24. Decimal Time

**Decimal Time**

Having defined for the growing numbers of Adonim and redeemed humans throughout Creation their calendar, and having defined their day on the basis of decimal time, Sefira mandated their mass veneration of her during certain times of the day. Now, the Lesser Darkness was about to define for them those specific times.

"You shall perform proper prostration towards the Active Divine Feminine when you get up from your first nocturnal sleep, when you get up from your second nocturnal sleep, and when you get up from your daytime sleep," she ordained three times for prostration on a relative basis.

"You shall perform proper prostration at the outset of the very first decan," she dictated the first fixed time for prostration.

"You shall perform proper prostration at the outset of the fifth decan," she commanded the next fixed time for prostration.

In doing so, Sefira expected that her adorers would commence and complete all their biphasic nocturnal sleep in between the four decans allotted to them. She also expected them, given the rigour of their daily labours and prostrations, to replenish themselves with their suppers, breakfasts, and second breakfasts during this time, as well as to replenish themselves with their brunches sometime during the two following decans.

"You shall perform the fullest prostration at the outset of the seventh decan, your noon time," she specified the noon time of her day, expecting that her adorers would replenish themselves enormously with their luncheons and daytime sleep immediately afterwards.

"You shall perform proper prostration at the outset of the ninth decan," she continued, expecting that her adorers would replenish themselves with their afternoon snacks immediately afterwards, as well as replenish themselves with their dinners before the first decan of the next day.

"For I am compassionate, gracious, and abounding in beneficence and kindness," she concluded. The authoritative one specified all these times for prostration because she understood the daily lives of her subjects when they were not asleep.

The Adonim and redeemed humans acknowledged these instructions of the Lesser Darkness, who desired nothing but the most effective daily adoration as mass veneration.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Due to the decimal time used, brunch is substituted for elevenses. Given the different diets of the Adonim, no culture-specific labels are used to name their light meal during the afternoon_ _._


	25. Primordial Basis Reconsidered

**Primordial Basis Reconsidered**

Much further ahead in her extensive manipulation of time, Sefira reached a most pivotal moment. At last, the Lesser Darkness had achieved near-divine mastery as the two most powerful entities in existence would have defined it, were they in her presence during that moment; she had achieved a few more things that had remained exclusive to the two divine entities above her.

Before, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine used the essences of primordial beings to transform primordial substances into other substances or even new primordial beings, thereby giving the impression that she could create. Before, she used the Hammer of Death to create the Darkest Domain and everything therein. Now, she mastered the abilities of true primordial creation and also of true creation of spiritual realms. Without primordial assistance, she would still have to exercise these two abilities in normal time, just like her mother and her uncle.

The first thing she who arose in might did upon realizing this state was turn her gaze towards the one primordial substance she had committed to reconsidering upon achieving near-divine mastery. When she came into being, her mother created her from the primordial basis of dark matter.

The distant origin of this substance was none other than the primordial blood of divine darkness, specifically the blood that had been shed during the first terrible war between the Darkness, on the one hand, and God and his four immediate sons, on the other. Over time, that blood which was not used during the creation of the two original Leviathans, hardened and became something else altogether.

Just before the process of Sefira's own creation, the primordial basis of dark matter had been at least a score times more abundant than the peak amount of another primordial substance, that used by her uncle to create her four primordial cousins and the omniverse itself; the amount of the former substance required for her own emergence equalled the peak amount of the latter substance. Though, in much more recent times, her mother took another portion to create the Bottomless Pit, the substance itself remained quite abundant as a source of primordial creation.

Thus did the Lesser Darkness gaze upon the primordial substance from which she came.


	26. Near-Divine Mastery

**Near-Divine Mastery**

As Sefira gazed upon the primordial substance of dark matter, she remembered that, despite her newfound near-divine mastery, she could ill-afford to diminish this, regardless of its abundance. The fateful commitment of the Lesser Darkness to reconsidering this substance had come about as a consequence of first-hand encounters with both the primordial blood of divine darkness and the primordial blood of divine light. After all, she had caused into existence substances, beings, and transcendental changes, all derived from the first bloody substance, and had been thwarted only divinely from doing something similar regarding the second bloody substance.

"I know something from here can be produced, like all the primordial blood that I saw," she made a statement of faith, not yet considering the divine insurance of her everlasting life.

The curious one knew that both bloody substances could be produced within her mother and her uncle in a manner similar to blood cell production within a living body. Now, she looked at what was before her in all its dark glory. She saw the entirety of that part of her own life force which, from the onset, her mother had dispersed into the very fabric of this substance.

"Perhaps the part of my life force within the primordial basis of dark matter can be induced to produce primordial blood that I can call my own, for my own use," she speculated about this one portion within, "Surely, this would not be dispersing my own essence!"

Remembering the motherly yet strict prohibition against any dispersal of her own essence, save for basic procreation of offspring, the Dark Herald concluded that the production and use of excess amounts of the proposed primordial blood would not fall under the definition of dispersing one's own essence.

Subsequent to that conclusion, the created dark essence teleported momentarily from her abode and appeared personally before the greatest concentration of her objects of attention. She then drew only from her innate power and channelled a blast of constant power towards the objects.

Satisfied with the protracted exertion, the Lesser Darkness teleported back to the Darkest Domain, to the top of her dark tower, the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity.


	27. Mandatory Existence Still Unextended

**Mandatory Existence Still Unextended**

Next, Sefira considered the other aspects of her near-divine mastery.

This astounding achievement by the Lesser Darkness, made possible by all her augmentations, reached as far as what the two above her have termed the third fundamental rule of existence. Although she had altered the Natural Order itself before, this was only part of that rule. Now, she was capable of controlling the overall flow of life and death for celestial beings and other incorporeal beings, and she was also capable of altering and even ending all non-primordial magic itself.

"Now, more exclusive powers of the Darkness and God belong to me!" she boasted, "The supernatural order, it is I!"

"The Lesser Darkness," the six Dark Archangels chimed in, "she is the active Divine!"

"The Lesser Darkness," repeated the four Dark Arch-Nephilim, "she is the active Divine!"

Temporally, the most powerful created being in existence had realized the ability to manipulate time across the entire omniverse, Creation itself, to almost a standstill. She had also realized the ability to exist entirely outside time itself.

"Now, I am above time itself!" she exclaimed.

"There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!" all ten near her cried out.

Before flaunting the newfound temporal capabilities, however, the dark creator of the ten found out to her dismay that her physical vessel would cease receiving the renewable power generated by mass veneration, for such power was unalterably time-bound. She therefore reconsidered the exercise of these two abilities. Furthermore, she discovered the difference between the aforementioned manipulation of time, which pertained to the motions of time, and altering time as the second fundamental rule of existence; the latter remained out of her reach.

Less than a handful of other things remained exclusive to her mother and her uncle, including their respective abilities to destroy and create an entire omniverse with one instantaneous cataclysm. Not only did Sefira remember that she did not become immune to divine banishment, but she remembered all too well the mockery heaped upon her by the latter; she could not apply the first fundamental rule of existence, not so much an ability as a truly divine condition, to her person. The mandatory existence of the Darkness and God still remained unextended to the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Rowena alerted her fellow witches to the possible end of magic itself when discussing the Darkness in the Season 11 episode "We Happy Few." Meanwhile, the inspiration behind Sefira's declaration about the supernatural order is the infamous political statement misattributed to Louis XIV, "L'état, c'est moi."_


	28. L'Ordre Surnaturel, C'est Moi

**L'Ordre Surnaturel, C'est Moi**

Brooding ceaselessly was Sefira, regarding the continued unattainability of the first fundamental rule of existence, exclusive to her mother and her uncle. In relation to them, the Lesser Darkness had not hidden her craving of, and scheming towards, the attainment of mandatory existence equal to that of each of them.

Now that the covetous one had brought powerful substances and powerful intelligent beings of her own into reality, she thought that the motherly safeguards in place throughout her own life force were insufficient. Although the Darkness and God remained the only ones who could extinguish this, and although she herself repeated thought experiments of going it alone, brazenly, against almost all other created beings, the possibility remained for her to become debilitated for much, much more than a short time, even by an inanimate weapon.

After all this time, only now did the desperate one reconsider the Mark of the Darkness, especially its deterrent effect. She had dismissed this curse, once born by her primordial cousin Lucifer and by the human Cain, because it would not have augmented her mid-tier nigh-omnipotence. However, its improper removal had resulted in the unstoppable release of the most powerful entity in existence, and so this deterrent effect became worthy of reconsideration.

The dark emanation resolved to affect the third fundamental rule of existence, then expended the immensely augmented power within her Instruments of the Darkness, within the supermassive Leviathan gestalt that was her immediate possession, and within the original Adon that was her physical vessel, to mar all of Creation once again.

"L'ordre surnaturel, c'est moi!" she reiterated most emphatically.

Slowly but surely, the dark imitator of primordial proportions tied her life force painstakingly to the continued existence of everything apart from the Destroyer and the Creator, as well as time itself, so as to arrive upon the closest condition to mandatory existence that could be achieved by the likes of herself. Now, were she to be killed or mortally wounded, the entire omniverse, including each of its spiritual realms, would accompany her into oblivion. Now, there remained no hope for any group of lesser beings to extinguish her.

Still, the Darkness and God remained more than capable of negating this most fatal consequence established by the Lesser Darkness, who had now become like them as much as she could.


	29. Extreme Confidence

**Extreme Confidence**

It was at this moment that Sefira resisted chuckling about her existential accomplishment. The Lesser Darkness compared all of what she had become to what she had been much earlier.

Back then, the matured one felt sorry for her four primordial cousins and their respective beta characters. Back then, she had a procreative awakening in relation to all four beings of painfully blinding white light. Back then, she thought that only procreation with all four of them could yield a superior representation of the balance of darkness and light throughout Creation. Now, she felt sorry not just for them, but for every other primordial being beneath her, including her deathly predecessor. None of them achieved what she had achieved, including the realization of the superior representation in the form of the Adonim. Now, the appeal of the earlier procreative awakening diminished noticeably.

Once again, the accomplished one returned her attention towards all her adorers, and saw that they were fruitful and multiplied greatly. She arrived at the point where she could recharge her Instruments of the Darkness instantaneously, simply due to the reality that the mass veneration required was now being supplied by sheer numbers of Adonim and redeemed humans throughout Creation.

Recalling what had just been thought about regarding a hypothetical confrontation with any hostile group of lesser supernatural beings, the most powerful created being in existence felt reassured at the new passive support being provided to all of her innate power and all of her augmented power. While remembering the existential safeguard just established, she appreciated greatly the realized possibility of exerting flauntingly the instantaneous obliteration capabilities of her Instruments, without worrying about recharging them over a more protracted period of time. Genuinely, she felt that it would be in the best interests of all supernatural beings not aligned with her, including her four primordial cousins who were re-bonding in places unknown, to reconsider their allegiances. She developed extreme confidence in the idea that such realignment had now become nothing less than inevitable.

At all these things did a smirky grin appear on the countenance of the Lesser Darkness.


	30. Wonders Of The Worlds

**Wonders Of The Worlds**

Having returned her attention towards the sheer numbers of Adonim and redeemed humans throughout Creation, Sefira was impressed that they had sufficient numbers to establish on their worlds nothing less than great civilizations with the highest standards. The Lesser Darkness proceeded to remind them that they maintained their serenity through absolutism, specifically the complete denial of themselves for her sake only and the total submission to her will.

Immediately after this sharp reminder, she who arose in might imposed upon her adorers the comprehensive model of pre-industrial civilization she envisioned some time ago. With this imposition came the introduction of penal labour as a complement to the established forms of unfree labour. With great might did she make what she deemed right.

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who has not created me a slave!" those not sentenced to penal labour gave thanks without hesitation.

Later, as the longest, widest, and tallest temples and surrounding complexes throughout the omniverse were being built in her name, the dark beneficiary of unfree labour decided to instill in the builders an obsessive zeal to complete their monumental construction, in accordance with what she had declared to her uncle.

"Do not be weary in doing what is right," she recited in a tone that suggested an exhortation, a rebuke, and a threat.

"Keep building!" Sefira said this and other commands, repeated her prodding of the labourers until they developed the obsessive zeal desired of them.

With such zeal bordering on fanaticism, many bound criminals went on to fall and perish, while not a care in all their worlds was given to these many construction deaths. However, as bricks meant for the new wonders of the worlds fell and broke, the nearby builders wept, proclaimed woe upon themselves, and asked about the immediate replacement of those bricks. Such replacement would not come easily, for those who made the bricks had been ordered to acquire their own raw materials.

From her place atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, the Lesser Darkness could not have been more pleased towards the realization of all the observed zeal.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The obsessive zeal in temple construction is a reference to a midrash about the loss of respect for human life during the legendary construction of the Tower of Babel._


	31. Graven Images

**Graven Images**

The time came for Sefira to focus on the finishing touches for the innermost sanctuaries of the gargantuan monuments to her that were the largest, widest, and tallest temples and surrounding complexes throughout the omniverse. Despite a motherly rebuke earlier, the Lesser Darkness had in mind a significantly upsized cover of a reconstructed relic shown to her then, for she desired something worthier than the innermost sanctuary statues of her uncle's once-favoured monarch, Solomon.

While seeing the Ark of the Pact, the formerly inhibited one had been informed that the two refashioned sculptures at the two ends of the cover represented none other than the Darkness and God, for in shielding the cover they emanated not wings, but smoke-like tendrils. She had inferred that the posture of the sculptures was another representation of the fundamental balance forming the basis of existence itself, that of darkness and light, and had been cautioned about the two above her not bowing down to her, even without venerating her.

Despite that, the hubristic one commanded some of the artisans about upsizing what she had seen. These artisans went to work in the innermost sanctuaries, first overlaying them with gold. For each sanctuary, they crafted a graven image of gold representing the Destroyer on one far side, then crafted a graven image of gold representing the Creator on the other far side. Of one piece with the sanctuary floor did they make the golden sculptures at the two sides. They fashioned smoke-like tendrils above the floor, spreading from the representations to shield what was below. They constructed the graven images to confront each other in a sitting kneel position, bowing their heads to turn their countenances towards what was below.

Moreover, what was below the graven images was a majestic symbol of the artisans' dark creator and her mid-tier nigh-omnipotence. True to her alpha ego, she had no use for a superfluous representation of the fundamental balance underpinning all of Creation.

Upon the completion of this particular work, Sefira inspected each of these innermost sanctuaries in all their golden splendour.

"Oh, Solomon, I have outdone thee!" came a rather unoriginal boast from the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _The precedent for enormous but non-idolatrous statues in the innermost sanctuaries was set by King Solomon in 1 Kings 6:23-28. Meanwhile, the boast at the end has been attributed to the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, upon the completion of the Hagia Sophia in 537 CE_ _._


	32. With A Turned Thumb

**With A Turned Thumb**

There came out among the Adonim some who made insulting utterances concerning Sefira, even during all the temple construction, and they were seized and brought forward. The Lesser Darkness shrugged off these utterances, for she looked forward to having another angle through which she could keep terrified the rest of those created in the new image of the Darkness and God.

"Divinity," she prepared to recite, "is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow."

"Long ago, I commanded your ancestors regarding one who makes even the slightest of insulting utterances concerning me," she reminded them, "for your communal curse for them had been and remains insufficient."

"To affirm what had been proclaimed, I will grace you with my very presence," she stated ominously and sent her intelligent creations into a state of sheer terror.

"I will darken your vision and make my presence felt in your midst, then remove the darkness so as to let you see the sign I will give you of my own accord: a hand," she elaborated, "With a turned thumb will I designate these guilty of everlasting blasphemy as unforgiven by means of mortal death, and as unforgiven and accursed in all subsequent reincarnations."

"In this sign," she dictated, "shall you devote them to destruction without mercy."

Sefira thought of the most appropriate yet dastardly corporeal punishment she could think of. A dark inspiration emerged in her thoughts, in the form of one particular ritual of ever-abominable child sacrifice. Long ago, Moloch, whom she included in an unprecedented mass slaughter of pseudo-deities, required sacrificing parents to hand their babies over to his priests. Those priests would hold the babies in the faces of his statues before returning them. Only at that point would the sacrificing parents pass their babies to a fiery death. Meanwhile, the priests would use drums and other instruments to drown out the dying cries of the babies.

"Then, you shall deliver these wicked unto divine judgment, into the fires of execution, for they shall be burned to death!" demanded the seemingly offended one, before she provided the dastardly details of the executions she desired.

"As for their belongings," added the Lesser Darkness, "none of them may be redeemed, for all of them shall be dedicated and given to the nearest temple treasury."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira's planned manifestation before her creations mimics the details of divine manifestation in Exodus 33:22-23. "With a turned thumb" is inspired by the notorious pollice verso gesture that signaled death for defeated gladiators in ancient Rome, while "in this sign" is inspired by Constantine's supposed vision of a cross. Meanwhile, "shall deliver […] wicked unto […] divine judgment" is inspired by the burning of anti-Origin heretics alive in_ Stargate SG-1 _._


	33. Passed Through The Fires

**Passed Through The Fires**

Sefira proceeded to fulfill the dark manifestations she had committed herself to, while actually remaining where she was. To the Adon communities that had these troublemakers, the Lesser Darkness gave them the promised sign of the hand and gestured a turned thumb.

"Everlastingly cursed be that one by day and everlastingly cursed be that one by night!" she vocalized her direct judgment against each transgressor, "Everlastingly cursed be that one when lying down, and everlastingly cursed be that one when rising up! Everlastingly cursed be that one when going out, and everlastingly cursed be that one when coming in!"

After seeing the gesture and hearing the curses, the Adonim did all that had been commanded of them. They bound and gagged the scoundrels, while seizing their belongings and giving them to the nearest temple treasury. The appointed executioners handed those transgressors over to the nearby clergy, who then performed their rites of devotion to destruction. Others, meanwhile, ignited the fires of execution, but kept them from reaching burning temperatures. The devoted ones themselves were returned by the ecclesiastics to the executioners and were then passed through the outermost fires of execution. Afterwards, the executioners themselves heated all the fires to seven times the required burning temperature, while the clergy used drums, other percussion instruments, flutes, bagpipes, trumpets, and all manner of string instruments to drown out all possible dying cries that overcame the gagging.

As soon as all the others nearby heard the sounds of the drums, other percussion instruments, flutes, bagpipes, trumpets, and all manner of string instruments, they fell down and worshipped their dark creator.

"What active Divine is there who can deliver these blasphemers from the power of our Active Divine Feminine?" the ecclesiastics posed liturgically.

"There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!" proclaimed the prostrating ones.

"So be it!" affirmed those not prostrating.

"So be it, indeed," the Lesser Darkness seconded, most darkly, the words of her clerics, before fulfilling swiftly the remaining judgments against the very souls of those who had made insulting utterances concerning her.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The multiple "cursed be that one" statements are inspired by the excommunication of Enlightenment philosopher Baruch Spinoza by Amsterdam's Jewish community. Meanwhile, t_ _he ritual "devotions to destruction" of those who made insulting utterances concerning Sefira are inspired by, in addition to the morally problematic concept of_ cherem _from the book of Numbers: the Moloch worship condemned in Leviticus 18 and 20, the rabbinic details of that worship, the entire account of Daniel 3, and, of course, the burning of anti-Origin heretics alive in_ Stargate SG-1 _._


	34. After Devotions And Executions

**After Devotions And Executions**

Having satiated her vindictiveness towards the very souls of the first individuals who had made insulting utterances concerning her, Sefira returned her attention towards her remaining subjects. The Lesser Darkness had something special to dictate regarding the devotions and executions that had just transpired and regarding those subjects' relationships with their very own parents.

"If your loved one, even your father or mother, makes even the slightest of insulting utterances concerning me, do not agree with him," she began by stating the obvious.

"Do not empathize with him or even sympathize with him," she emphasized, "Do not come to his defense, and do not refrain from incriminating him."

By commanding all these, the dark sovereign made clear to her adorers on the physical plane that her reputation was to be prioritized above their very parents, and also above their other loved ones.

"If you are the only one who heard this everlasting blasphemy," she put forward one scenario that her corporeal followers could find themselves in someday, "gather concealed witnesses and coax him into repeating it."

"In any event," she went straight to the point, "if he commits this abominable deed in the midst of you and witnesses, all of you shall seize him and follow the devotion and execution customs you have just followed."

"Whoever professes fidelity to me yet," Sefira spoke and prepared to recite, "does not hate father and mother […]"

"For their guilt in this cardinal offense," she spoke and prepared to recite again, "is not worthy of me."

A brief yet ominous pause ensued for the subjects to better appreciate all the words that they were hearkening to just now.

"Thus will the rest of you hearken, tremble, and be deterred from committing this cardinal offense," she who arose in might stated.

"Your Divine Majesty has graced us with your very presence and has made it felt in our midst," came the fearful words from those who took part in the devotions and executions, "We have even heard your voice emanating from this mass revelation. After all this, we are still alive to obey! If it pleases you, however, speak no more of this matter, lest we ourselves die!"

"I have heard your small petition on this matter," came the acceptance of the Lesser Darkness, "you have spoken well."

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira's instruction to snitch on even one's blaspheming parents is making a mockery of the synoptic Matthew 10:37 and Luke 14:26 regarding one relative preference over parents, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards the criminal process towards layman enticers to apostasy in Deuteronomy 13:7-12 and classical rabbinic literature (Mishnah Sanhedrin 7:10). The conclusion is inspired by the fearful response to mass revelation in Exodus 20:15-18 and Deuteronomy 5:20-25._


	35. Trees Destined For Sacrifice

**Trees Destined For Sacrifice**

As the longest, widest, and tallest temples and surrounding complexes throughout Creation were being built, other adorers throughout the omniverse, whether Adonim or redeemed humans, grew before Sefira special trees. The Lesser Darkness gave highly magical properties to them and the things which came from them.

Unlike her uncle, who in ancient times preferred sacrifices of fauna, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine was content with sacrifices of flora. Her contentment, however, was based on dark purposes. She did not want offerings of just any flora, but rather of highly magical trees, their radiant fruits, and even their equally radiant dew.

The first and foremost purpose was to imitate yet twist God's aversion towards the erection of particular cultic objects in long-lasting honour of certain pseudo-deities. Just as he had commanded against growing cultic trees and establishing cultic poles, and just as he had commanded the absolute destruction of such objects, so would the created dark essence desire their religious destruction, but only in the form of sacrifices to her exclusively. One related but significantly lesser purpose was to simply insult the legacies of all the pseudo-deities she had disposed of ruthlessly, especially those who were once honoured with trees and poles. Another related but similarly lesser purpose was to test her adorers, so that they would prioritize sacrificing over every benefit, whether magical or natural, that could be derived from the sacrifices.

Connected intricately with twisting the aforementioned divine aversion was the purpose of imitating a couple of surpassed yet durable character inspirations from contemporary fiction, with regards to the destruction of highly magical trees and other special trees, along with what came from them. Though one of them needed help to do so, she who arose in might needed no such help at all, for it was she who imbued magic into the trees destined for sacrifice. Nonetheless, she delegated the ritual destruction of the trees to lesser beings, simply because another inspiration orchestrated the sacrifice of a non-magical tree that had been special in its own right.

When the temples were complete, the Lesser Darkness urged all those created in the new image of the Darkness and God, and all followers created in the old one, to collect for sacrifice the fruits and dew, and then extract the special trees. They did so without further consideration.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira is imitating yet twisting the Deuteronomistic History's statements against Asherah worship. Meanwhile, the dark inspirations for the magical trees, including their fates, come from the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien._


	36. Calls To Veneration

**Calls To Veneration**

As adorers brought the extracted magical trees, their radiant fruits, and their radiant dew for sacrifice, Sefira was pleased that they paid no attention to all the sap that became visible. Before the subjects could consecrate and pile upon the temple altars all of that which had been gathered, the Lesser Darkness beheld the unprecedented magnificence of all the temples and surrounding complexes built for her glory.

By pre-industrial standards, these structures were indeed monumental. No central structure measured less than one hundred sixty meters tall, two hundred thirty meters wide, or two hundred thirty meters long. No inner courtyard was less grand than the outer courtyard of her uncle's eschatological template, revealed to a priestly prophet long ago, and no wall enclosing this courtyard measured less than five hundred fifty meters on any side. No outermost enclosed area measured less than nine hundred meters on any side, and no outermost wall was less than a full kilometer long or wide.

Shifting her focus towards her adorers, the grand honoree heard loud yet melodious calls to veneration coming from all their temples.

"How great are these works of our hands, our temples, O created beings!" came the loud yet melodious calls to veneration twice.

"But greatest is the Active Divine Feminine!" came the massive crowd responses, "Greatest is the Active Divine Feminine!"

"There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!" came the former voices twice.

"As for me and my house, we enter this temple to venerate with awe and dread in your chosen place," came the latter voices twice.

"Hasten to the veneration," came the former voices twice, "Hasten to her providence."

"We come to bow, kneel, and prostrate before she who arose in might to create us," came the latter voices twice.

"The Lesser Darkness, she is the active Divine! The Lesser Darkness, she is the active Divine!" exclaimed the former voices.

"There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!" the latter voices exclaimed to conclude the calls to veneration.

Meanwhile, the Lesser Darkness looked forward to the inevitable mass veneration that was to come.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The inspirations behind the calls to veneration are the Islamic call to worship and Balaam's awe towards the Tabernacle in Numbers 24:5._

 _Meanwhile, to compare each of the new temples to real-life examples: The central structure is larger than that of Angkor Wat, for it is as tall as the Lincoln Cathedral with its central spire, and as long and wide as the Great Pyramid of Giza. The inner courtyard is larger than the entire Karnak_ _Temple Complex, and is as grand as the outer courtyard of the temple in Ezekiel's prophetic vision. The outermost enclosed area is as long and wide as that of Angkor Wat._


	37. Initial Temple Prostration

**Initial Temple Prostration**

With all the Adonim and redeemed humans gathered in the temple complexes, Sefira beheld the moment when all they would refer to her by her formal monarchical style, consisting of title after title. The Lesser Darkness also beheld the simultaneous prostration that was to accompany this.

"Behold Her Divine Majesty, the Active Divine Feminine, the Lesser Darkness," came the beginning of the full style, to which the masses of adorers responded by bowing, kneeling, and prostrating themselves.

"Hallowed Divinity with Us," came the remainder of the style,  
"Deity Supreme outside the Divine Presence,  
Absolute, Exclusive, Highest, and Sacrosanct Sovereign of all Sacred Sovereigns,  
Above all High Sovereigns of High Sovereigns, outside the Divine Presence,  
Master of Masters outside the Divine Presence,  
Judge of Judges outside the Divine Presence,  
Theocrat of Theocrats,  
Commander-in-Chief of Commanders-in-Chief,  
Lady Protector of all Existence,  
Lady of the Fates of Creation,  
Superior of all Intelligent Creations,  
Riser in Might,  
Ascendant to the Divine Throne,  
Paramount Leader beyond the Mount of Celestial Assembly,  
Plenipotentiary Rider of the Divine Chariot,  
And the Most High by anointed right from the Divine Presence."

Following this initial temple prostration, the adorers stood up and pronounced another utterance.

"In the name of Her Divine Majesty," came the beginning of the utterance, before being followed by one full repetition of the grand honoree's formal monarchical style, this time without any prostration.

"Praise the Lesser Darkness," came the continuance of the utterance,  
"Most Compassionate, Most Gracious,  
And Most Abounding in Beneficence and Kindness.  
You alone do we venerate adoringly,  
And to you alone do we pray for providence,  
Guide us along the straight path,  
The path of those to whom you have blessed,  
Not of those who have earned your wrath,  
Nor of those gone astray."

For their part, Sefira's supernatural subordinates, from the Dark Archangels and the Dark Arch-Nephilim to all their subordinates, were surprised at the lengthening of the dark liturgy beyond what had been commanded. Despite this, they mimicked all the exultation from their places in the Dark Gateway of Divinity and elsewhere throughout the Darkest Domain.

Towards all this, including the surprised looks, did the Lesser Darkness react with nothing less than utmost pleasure.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The second utterance is inspired by the first Qu'ranic Surat, Al-Fatiha, in its entirety and as uttered in every Islamic act of prayer._


	38. Particular Dark Exaltations

**Particular Dark Exaltations**

From atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, Sefira observed all her subjects, heap praise upon praise upon her being. Among the praises were particular dark exaltations made in honour of the Lesser Darkness.

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence," six in her very midst, the Dark Archangels, commenced with the particular dark exaltations,  
"With dark insights you have created our essences, and within them a miraculous combination of vital components, currents, links, and smoke, balancing all our power within us.  
It is obvious and known to us specks of your imagination that, were one of these things in this combination to fail, we would cease to exist before you.  
Exalted are you, Renewer and Sustainer of all Creation!"

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence," exclaimed all her subjects,  
"Who has given me the ability to discern between the darkness and the light!"

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence," all the Adonim boasted separately,  
"Who has not created me by evolving my kind from hominoids!  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence,  
Who has not created me in even one minute, let alone in a day or over millions of years!  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence,  
Who has not created me by dabbling with uncontrolled darkness!  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence,  
Who has not created me anything less than in the most perfect image of the Divine Darkness and the Divine God!"

The object of all the dark exaltations felt triumphant, for this time she was not being mocked liturgically by her uncle.

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence," the redeemed humans expressed their gratitude, not wanting to be outdone,  
"Who has delivered us from stillborn death!  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence,  
Who has redeemed us from newborn death!"

After the dark exaltations, the Lesser Darkness prepared for the next part of the dark liturgy being conducted in her honour.

* * *

 _Author's Note: In the process of being exalted above, Sefira twisted a controversial prayer, a changed version of which Chuck and Amara took part in during the sibling-oriented prayer service they had attended._


	39. Diverse Expressions Of Veneration

**Diverse Expressions Of Veneration**

What followed was not as uniform liturgically, for all the Adonim and redeemed humans uttered entirely different words regarding Sefira. Still, the Lesser Darkness relished in the veneration.

"May the compassion and grace of the Active Divine Feminine," expressed the adorers,  
"The beneficence of the Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence,  
And the kindness of the Renewer and Sustainer of all Creation,  
Be with all of us."

Following this short expression were the diverse expressions of veneration.

"Hail, Active Divine Feminine," hailed the participants, for instance,  
"Full of compassion, grace, beneficence, and kindness,  
The Divine Will is with you!  
Exalted are you amongst beings,  
And honoured are your greatest creations living on the worlds,  
For they were created in nothing less than the most perfect image of the Divine Darkness and the Divine God!"

"The Lesser Darkness," said in another instance those created in the new image of the Darkness and God and also the redeemed ones created in the original one,  
"There is no active Divine save she, the Everlasting, the Renewer and Sustainer of all Creation.  
Neither drowsiness nor slumber overtake her.  
To her belongs all that is in Creation.  
Who can intercede with her save by her permission?  
She comprehends what is before them and what will come after,  
While they encompass no portion of her comprehension, save what she wills.  
Her Divine Throne reaches the edges of Creation,  
And their renewal and sustenance does not burden her.  
She is glorified and sublime."

Equally diverse expressions of veneration followed, yet the moment did come for a more uniform prelude to the dark creed that was to be professed.

"I bear witness, O my Active Divine Feminine," all the Adonim and redeemed humans confirmed in prayer,  
"That you have made my being possible so that I may acknowledge you and venerate you adoringly.  
I attest, this very moment, to my powerlessness and to your almightiness, to my destitution and to your bounty.  
There is no active Divine but you, Lesser Darkness, the provider in times of trouble and the self-subsisting."

At this point, all the Lesser Darkness could do was accept her subjects' collective attestation.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The third utterance is inspired by the 255th verse of the second Qu'ranic Surat, Al-Baqara. The last prayer is inspired by the Bahá'í short obligatory prayer._


	40. Alternative Creed

**Alternative Creed**

Now came the time for all the adorers to declare in creed form their utmost belief in Sefira. However, given the very formal service they were conducting, the Lesser Darkness coveted the utterance of a longer creed.

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Darkness," began all the Adonim and redeemed humans,  
"The beginning of all existence,  
The existence and nothingness and Yin before all being,  
The all-power beyond all being,  
And the Destroyer above all being."

The Dark Herald felt something was lacking with those words for her mother. Although they was sufficient when uttered by lesser beings, she felt she could do better, with only the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim being able to hear her. Accordingly, she sped up time for herself and the ten.

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out her words,  
"Who is the beginning of all existence."

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out the words directly after,  
"Who is not a being,  
For she alone is the existence and nothingness before all being,  
And there is no existence or nothingness in any manner like unto hers."

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out the following words,  
"Who is the Yin before all being,  
And that she alone is the Yin of all existence."

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out the next words,  
"Who is beyond all being,  
For she alone is the all-power beyond all being."

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out the subsequent words,  
"Who is true primordial chaos,  
For she alone is the Destroyer above all being."

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine Choshech," came out the trailing words,  
"Who is the end of all existence,  
For she alone is the first and the last."

Satisfied with her alternative creed, the Lesser Darkness returned her attention to her subjects.

"With perfect faith, I believe in the Divine God," they affirmed the next part of their creed,  
The younger kin,  
The beginning of all being,  
The Yang of all being,  
The Creator of all but the darkest creations,  
The all-power above all created being,  
The one who alone is God,  
Whose personage is indivisible and whose unity is without association,  
And the one who established the laws of physics and justice."

* * *

 _Author's Note: The juxtaposition of the mass creed with Sefira's alternative creed regarding her mother is inspired by well-known comparisons between the creeds of trinitarian Christianity and Maimonides' attempt to define 13 principles of faith for rabbinic Judaism._


	41. Longer Creed

**Longer Creed**

For a moment, Sefira pondered her subjects' rather rote reference to her uncle. Until the Lesser Darkness had caused into existence beings of her own, including the Adonim, she was indeed the only created being not created by him.

"With perfect faith, I believe in Her Divine Majesty," came the beginning of the next utterance.

Knowing that this was the beginning of their ruler's formal monarchical style, the masses of adorers proceeded to bow, kneel, and prostrate themselves, while uttering the remainder of the style.

"Who is acclaimed, adored, blessed, dignified, ennobled, esteemed, exalted, extolled, glorified, hailed, honoured, lauded, magnified, praised, and revered," they offered fifteen descriptive words of supplication after uttering the full style.

"Who emanates wisely from the presence of the Divine Darkness," they declared further,  
"Who proceeds with assent from the presence of the Divine God…"

"Who reigns as the Supremo of Time, Supremo of Justice, Supremo of Diplomacy, Supremo of Warfare, and Champion of Combat," they proclaimed the other extension of the creed,  
"Who upholds Divine Providence as Overseer,  
Of Suns, Morning Stars, Nighttime Skies, Moons, Illumination, and Dawns,  
Of Daytime Skies, Seasonal Winds, Storms, Clouds, Thunder, and Precipitation,  
Of Biospheres, Crop Plants, Flowers, Trees, Forests, Wild Animals, and Agricultural Animals,  
Of Drinking Water, Springs, Rivers, and Seas,  
Of Fire, Metals, and Mountains,  
Of Travel, Artisanship, Hunting, Shepherding, Magic Healing, Fishing, and Sailing,  
Of Reapers and Life After Death,  
Of Reproduction, Marriage, and Safe Lust,  
Of Predictions, Wisdom, Glamour, Fine Arts, Fame, Great Happiness, Serenity, Sleep, Prosperity, Youth, Old Age, Health, Intoxication, Gambling Luck, Mercy, Oaths, and Vengeance…"

"Who renews and sustains all of Creation by renewing each of its life cycles," they spoke the remainder of the longer creed,  
"Who renews and sustains all of Creation by renewing and sustaining everything in between its life cycles and petitionary prayers,  
Who renews and sustains all of Creation by answering all petitionary prayers to the triune Divine,  
Who does all these things with power, wisdom, compassion, grace, beneficence, and kindness exceeding those of all intelligent creations combined,  
And who bears the triune Divine Will to which I surrender my daily living."

The additional words left quite an impression upon the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The difference between this rendition of Sefira's dark creed and the original one is akin to the difference between the longer Nicene Creed and the shorter Apostles' Creed._

" _Who rules as the jealous Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence" was not uttered in the longer creed because the two titles within were already uttered within the formal monarchical style, and because of Sefira's blatant usurpation of the attributes of the very pagan deities she mass-slaughtered._


	42. Standing Before Dark Power

**Standing Before Dark Power**

From their positions of prostration before Sefira did all the Adonim and redeemed humans rise, for now they were to be standing before dark power. The Lesser Darkness expected nothing less from her subjects, as they were about to offer the most formal of prayers.

For their part, the latter stood in dark, stiff salute. They clicked their heels, then raised and stiffened all their arms from their necks into the air, all with straightened hands. As for the right and left hand portions of the salute, they consisted of extended thumbs and large gaps between middle fingers and ring fingers.

"Acclaimed, adored, blessed, dignified, ennobled, esteemed, exalted, extolled, glorified, hailed, honoured, lauded, magnified, praised, and revered," the adorers repeated the fifteen descriptive words of supplication.

"Is Your Divine Majesty," they said, then repeated their ruler's formal monarchical style without prostrating.

"You whose might is incomparable," they continued their marvel upon the object of their veneration,  
"You whose fearsomeness is immeasurable,  
You whose glory is incomprehensible,  
You who are compassionate, gracious, and most abounding in beneficence and kindness,  
You who remember the adoring veneration of our ancestors,  
And you who bring redemption in every generation, for the sake of divinity."

"You, Active Divine Feminine, are powerful everlastingly," they who were standing before dark power went further,  
"You reincarnate the dead, deliver from stillborn death, redeem from newborn death, and shape the natural and supernatural orders as you see fit.  
You renew and sustain all of Creation by renewing and sustaining each of its life cycles.  
Who is like you, who does all these things?  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who does all these things."

"We will hallow you on the physical plane of existence," the adorers expressed their intent to hallow Sefira,  
"Just as your archangelic creations hallow you on higher planes of existence,  
And in their words we declare:  
Hallowed, hallowed, hallowed, be the Active Divine Feminine!  
Her power permeates all Creation!  
And we also declare:  
Exalted be the providence of the Active Divine Feminine in the Darkest Domain!"

After hearing those words, the Lesser Darkness prepared to give an audience to the most formal of petitionary payers ever to be offered to her.

* * *

 _Author's Note: "You whose […] You whose […] You whose […]" is inspired by words from the First Antiphon in Eastern Orthodox liturgy._

 _Meanwhile, this chapter and the next few chapters consist of twenty or more formal prayers, a purposely perverse derivative of (traditionally) nineteen prayers recited while standing. The first illustration of the purposely perverse nature of this derivative is the twisting of both the custom of having one's feet together during these prayers and the Biblical Priestly Blessing; the adorers have instead combined the gestures of the Priestly Blessing with the Nazi salute, and not certain fictional salutes._


	43. Long Confessions

**Long Confessions**

After having essentially saluted Sefira, all the Adonim and redeemed humans braced themselves for long confessions. Meanwhile, the Lesser Darkness remained in anticipation of these confessions as the fourth of the most formal of prayers, and the first of the most formal of petitionary prayers. Not only did she anticipate this, but she anticipated her subjects to accept the yoke of collective responsibility by formulating their confessions in the plural.

"We confess to the Active Divine Feminine that we have sinned," the unfortunate ones began,  
"That we have sinned unknowingly,  
That we have sinned knowingly,  
That we have sinned by omission,  
That we have sinned by commission,  
That we have sinned under duress,  
That we have sinned willingly,  
That we have sinned hardheartedly,  
That we have sinned zealously,  
That we have sinned secretly,  
That we have sinned openly,  
That we have sinned by all manner of improper thoughts,  
That we have sinned by all manner of improper gestures,  
That we have sinned by all manner of improper utterances,  
And that we have sinned by deceit."

Following this formulation, the dejected ones broke into cries for mercy.

"For these, Hallowed Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, have mercy!" they importuned,  
"For these, Hallowed One of Most Compassion, Most Grace, and Most Abundance in Beneficence and Kindness, have mercy!  
For these, Hallowed Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, have mercy!"

After importuning not once or twice, but thrice, the bearers of guilt begged for forgiveness.

"Pardon us, O Active Divine Feminine, for," they went to the point, before reinforcing their guilt,  
"We have gone astray.  
We have been disobedient.  
We have committed iniquity.  
We have done wrong.  
We have incurred guilt.  
We have transgressed.  
We have trespassed."

Subsequently, each everlasting commandment Sefira had given the offenders and their ancestors was phrased by those offenders as if it had been violated.

"All the while, you are a most forgiving active Divine," those confessing neared the end of this formal petitionary prayer,  
"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who pardons abundantly."

Unlike her uncle's disdain for long prayers no matter what, the Lesser Darkness valued this very long petitionary prayer that had been offered to her.

* * *

 _Author's Note: "We confess […] that we have sinned […] that we have sinned […]" is inspired by the Catholic_ Confiteor _("I confess") and by the Jewish long confession_ Al Chet _("On account of this sin"). "Hallowed […] have mercy[…]" is inspired by the Catholic_ Kyrie _("Lord") and by the Eastern Orthodox_ Trisagion _("Thrice holy"). The subsequent seven "we have" admissions are inspired by the Jewish short confession_ Ashamnu _("We have incurred guilt")._

 _Meanwhile, the de facto declaration of every commandment bequeathed by Sefira is inspired not by the remainder of_ Al Chet _, but by the septennial reading of the entire Deuteronomic Code stipulated in Deuteronomy 31:10-13 and reinstated in Nehemiah 8._


	44. Above Good And Evil

**Above Good And Evil**

Having heard the first and longest of the most formal of petitionary prayers, Sefira was more than willing to forgive all the Adonim and redeemed humans of all the violations of the commandments she had given them and their ancestors. The Lesser Darkness then looked forward to the utterance of the subsequent petitionary prayers.

They who offered prayer strengthened their resolve, then prayed regarding the forgiveness of others.

"In kindness do you pardon intelligent creations who forgive others who have wronged them," they gave their utmost respect,  
"In exactingness do you withhold pardon from those who withhold forgiveness from others.  
Inspirit us to forgive those who have wronged us.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who inspirits us to forgive those who have wronged us."

Those created in the new image of the Darkness and God, and the redeemed ones created in the original one, all maintained their resolve while praying regarding repentance.

"Turn us, O Active Divine Feminine, away from our straying," they made an appeal,  
"Bring us to return to your service,  
And restore us to your providence in complete return.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who wills complete return."

The adorers turned their focus towards knowledge, insight, and wisdom.

"Graciously do you impart knowledge upon intelligent creations, ingrain into them insight, and instill within them wisdom," they complimented,  
"Grace us with knowledge, insight, and wisdom.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who graces us with knowledge, insight, and wisdom."

The Adonim and redeemed humans had prayed for knowledge, insight, and wisdom, mainly due to the desire to master their inner inclinations. Next, they turned to the petitioned authority, whom they considered to be above good and evil.

"Established have you set before us, even now, life and death, weal and woe, and good and evil," they declared,  
"We lay before you our evil inclinations, which you have established.  
Champion our good inclinations, which you have also established.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who champions our good inclinations."

Meanwhile, the Lesser Darkness counted eight as the number of prayers of the most formal kind that had been offered to her so far.


	45. Petition After Petition

**Petition After Petition**

After Sefira counted all eight of the most formal of prayers offered to her so far, her adorers moved to the next few petitionary prayers. Petition after petition was going to be directed at the Lesser Darkness.

"Having arisen in might, you provide fresh vigor to the spent," the subjects reminded their ruler,  
"And to those who have no might you increase power.  
Empower us with strength.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who gives strength to the weary among us."

"Heal us, O Active Divine Feminine, and we will be healed," the former entreated the latter,  
"Restore us and we will be restored, for you are our glory.  
Overcome perfectly all our ailments, for you are an ever-dependable healer.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who heals her subjects."

"While renewing and sustaining Creation, you grant our weathers in due season," they continued,  
"For blessing and not for curse, for life and not for death, for abundance and not for scarcity.  
Cause the many winds to blow and the precipitation to fall.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who in due season causes the many winds to blow and the precipitation to fall."

"Bless the seasons for all the best," they exhorted,  
"And cause all varieties of their produce to emerge.  
Bestow blessing upon the face of the earth in all seasons.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who bestows blessing upon the face of the earth in all seasons."

"Not exclusively by what we think of as food do our bodies live, but on anything that you decree," the adorers proclaimed their faith,  
"This did you reinforce upon our ancestors, through exacting experience.  
Provide for our daily and urgent needs.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who provides for our daily and urgent needs."

For her part, the Lesser Darkness added these five petitions to the five earlier ones and three undiluted exaltations that had been rendered unto her.


	46. Uttered Without Error

**Uttered Without Error**

It came upon the Adonim and redeemed humans to render the final four petitionary prayers to Sefira. Meanwhile, the Lesser Darkness remembered all too well when, long ago, the first generation of the first group of subjects had bungled the terminal petitionary prayer, in particular.

"As bearer of the Divine Will, you accepted our surrender of our daily living to your will," the declarants spoke,  
"Reign over us, over your celestial creations, and over your archangelic creations.  
May your will be done throughout Creation, in the celestial realms and on the physical plane.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who ensures that her will is done throughout Creation."

"Let there be no hope for irreverent creations who make even the slightest of insulting utterances concerning you," they repeated the communal curse uttered by their ancestors,  
"Inspire us to seize them and devote them to destruction without mercy.  
May these perpetrators of everlasting blasphemy be unforgiven even in mortal death,  
And may they remain unforgiven and accursed in all subsequent reincarnations.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who does not refrain or spare or relent from this which she has decreed."

"May your compassion be consistent, O Active Divine Feminine," they supplicated,  
"Towards the devout and towards the rest of us.  
Grant a blessed afterlife to all who remain devout to you throughout their one or more reincarnations, and may we be counted amongst them.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who provides grants a blessed afterlife to the consistently devout."

Although all other generations of Adonim uttered without error the petitionary prayer that followed, Sefira was anxious for this generation of them not to deviate from the proper words, much less speak words which would remind her of her uncle's mockery when all her innate and augmented power had been divinely negated.

"With humility do we implore you to listen to our voices and accept our prayer," the subjects beseeched,  
"Do not turn us away empty-handed, for you answer all petitionary prayers from your subjects.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who answers all petitionary prayers from her subjects."

The Lesser Darkness felt relieved at what had transpired.


	47. Streaks Of Fire

**Streaks of Fire**

A confident Sefira found herself more than willing to say Yes, No, or Wait to the countless petitionary prayers to her concerning forgiveness, inspirations for forgiving others, repentance, wisdom, inner inclinations, strength, healing, weather, agricultural produce, immediate needs, sovereign will, blasphemers' fates, and devout followers. In accordance with the will of the Lesser Darkness, her adorers had consecrated the offerings of magical trees, their radiant fruits, and their radiant dew, with their seventeen prayers of the most formal kind.

In more ordinary circumstances outside the temples and surrounding complexes, these beings of lesser stature would be declaring less elaborate, less formal renditions of the seventeen prayers that had been offered so far. Subsequent to declaring these and a couple of additional short prayers, they would be reading relevant portions, and only portions, of the everlasting commandments given to them by their dark superior. However, since they had, for all intents and purposes, restated the entirety of those commandments during their extremely long confession, and since they were venerating their avowed deity, they would be sacrificing burnt offerings instead.

For the grand honoree, the momentous time had come for her to enact a completion of all the inaugural burnt offerings that would be nothing less than supernatural.

"Whether Adonim or chosen humans, you are hereby commanded," she dictated, "when streaks of fire come down from the visible heaven above…"

"To earth in the sight of all," she recited for a moment, then continued, "when the first streak sanctifies the monumental work of your hands, to prostrate yourselves and venerate the Active Divine Feminine again."

"Whoever does not do so shall be consumed," she threatened, "for each streak is a breath of consuming fire."

The first streak on each world was intended to inspire. Not only did it consume the burnt offering and the wood underneath, but it also consumed the sap and all other liquid substances within the altar, as well as the entire altar itself, which immediately necessitated building a replacement. Following this were trailing streaks intended to consume the disobedient ones, while burning but not consuming the obedient ones. Thus, the Lesser Darkness demonstrated terrifying signs and was obeyed by the Adonim and by her human subjects.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making another mockery of the 13th chapter of the disputed work of Revelation, but more fundamentally she is really being irreverent towards reverent prostration in 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 and idolatrous prostration in Daniel 3:4-7._


	48. Four Modes Of Worship

**Four Modes Of Worship**

Once the commanded prostration was finished, all the Adonim and redeemed humans stood before Sefira. The Lesser Darkness took note of the priestly parties responsible for setting up the burnt offerings, for they were now burning incense and pouring out libations in her honour.

In becoming the object of these modes of veneration of the most formal kind, she who arose in might appropriated the very four modes of worship that had been claimed by her own uncle, long ago, as his and his alone. Of these four, only prostration generated the renewable power required for her Adon vessel to reflect towards her Instruments of the Darkness. Even then, this act had to be performed as part of mass veneration.

When her subjects were finished, they stiffened their standing postures once more, clicked their heels, then raised all their arms from their necks into the air. Once more, the straightened right hands and left hands consisted of extended thumbs and large gaps between middle fingers and ring fingers.

"Favor, O Active Divine Feminine, your subjects and their prayers," they resumed with the most formal of prayers,  
"Preserve this sacrificial cult in your sanctuary and accept eagerly the burnt offerings and their prayers.  
May the veneration of your subjects be always most fitting to you.  
May our senses perceive your hallowed divinity maintained within our midst.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who maintains her hallowed divinity within our midst."

"We thank you for being the Active Divine Feminine for us and our ancestors, for time everlasting," they offered their thanksgiving,  
"You alone are the strength and defense of our being, transcending generations.  
We will speak of your praises throughout the generations, for our very lives which are in your possession, for our souls which are committed to you, for your wonders which are made manifest among us, and for your providence at all times.  
In you of never-diminished compassion, of never-diminished grace, of never-diminished beneficence, and of never-diminished kindness, do we put our trust."

"For all this, may you be glorified and sublime for time everlasting!" they continued,  
"Let every created being, for time everlasting, profess you and exalt you with the fullest sincerity, for to you it is right to do this!"

For the Lesser Darkness, only one prayer of the most formal kind remained.


	49. Subordination To Absolutism

**Subordination To Absolutism**

Awaiting the utterance of the last of the most formal kind of prayers was Sefira. In addition to this, the Lesser Darkness awaited additional prostration at the end.

"Establish serenity, compassion, grace, beneficence, and kindness to us and to all your subjects," her adorers proclaimed in unison,  
"Do so, O Active Divine Feminine, to all of us together, with your providence, for by this have you established for us your absolutism."

The grand honoree smiled upon observing her subjects reminding themselves, for their sake, that their serenity was dependent upon their very subordination to absolutism, hers alone. For her, free will was something to be merely tolerated, so long as it was not free from highly interventionist consequences such as punishments. For her, the best subjects were the ones who were both fearful of her in the sense of awe and fearful of her in the sense of dread. For her, the best children of theirs were the ones who were obedient, respectful of their elders, good-mannered, and well-behaved.

"May it be pleasing for you to do this in every year, in every month, in every day, in every decan, in every stound, in every stoundal mark, in every decimark, and in every second," continued her subordinates, who reiterated every single one of their dark superior's divisions of time, which she had established for them.

"Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence, who establishes serenity, compassion, grace, beneficence, and kindness to all her subjects," they stated.

With those words, all the Adonim and redeemed humans concluded with their twenty prayers of the most formal kind. Immediately following this, they bowed, knelt, and prostrated before their ruler once again.

"Yours, O Active Divine Feminine, is the greatness and the might and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for time everlasting!" they all exclaimed.

Momentarily, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine turned off the means of audio communication from her Dark Gateway of Divinity to her adorers on the physical plane.

"And the sovereignty, as well," she added.

The Lesser Darkness felt no need to communicate this to her subjects, for it was their duty to affirm this in the next prayer.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Thus concludes the dark standing prayers, the twenty fictional prayers which, while incorporating twistedly elements of the "Our Father" prayer in the Synoptic Gospels, are a purposely perverse derivative of (traditionally) nineteen prayers recited while standing. Chuck and Amara took part in a theologically modified and abbreviated version of these standing prayers during the sibling-oriented prayer service they had attended._


	50. It Was Their Duty

**It Was Their Duty**

Sefira maintained the suspension of two-way communication between her and the Adonim and redeemed humans on the physical plane. As the Lesser Darkness prepared to receive their next prayer, she reminded herself darkly that, when the some of this prayer's words had been uttered for the first time, they had been uttered by her uncle as a means of mocking her liturgically. During that time, all her innate and augmented power had been divinely negated by her mother, and although she attempted repeatedly to restore her power, each of her efforts ended in abject failure.

After this reminder, she who arose in might beheld all the individual preparations of those created in the new image of the Darkness and God, and also all the individual preparations of the redeemed ones created in the original one, for now it was their duty to venerate her again.

"It is our duty to venerate the Active Divine Feminine," they began the prayer,  
"To exalt she who arose in might and who renews and sustains all of Creation,  
Who has not created us like the other intelligent creations,  
Nor situated our homes within their domains,  
Nor made our lot like theirs,  
Nor assigned us anything less than manifest destiny.  
For the help of what they consider divine shall be vain and empty,  
And they who follow their ways pray to a deity who does not reply – period!"

Deep in her mind, the most powerful created being in existence knew that her uncle had chosen this entire beginning of a prayer to express contemptuously his having caught her own attempt to make a verbal jab at him, and not just at the billions of pseudo-deities. It was true that those billions could not save in the truly divine sense. They could not save even themselves, as a great many of them were obliterated by her personally. However, she wanted to bring greater attention to her divine foil's unwillingness to answer petitionary prayers in general, whether or not his reasons were justified. She also wanted to contrast this to her ability and willingness to say Yes, No, or Wait to all petitionary prayers from all across Creation, which she had proven time and again after being subject to a most divine banishment by her uncle.

"Let's see you reply to this, Uncle!" the Lesser Darkness issued a taunt towards God.


	51. Manifest Destiny

**Manifest Destiny**

While issuing her unanswered taunt towards her absent uncle, Sefira felt vindicated that the beginning of the prayer had been proclaimed most reverently. Now, the Lesser Darkness returned her attention towards her adorers and their prayer.

"But we bow, kneel, prostrate in veneration," they declared their next actions, then fulfilled them once more.

"Acclaim, adore, bless, dignify, ennoble, esteem, exalt, extol, glorify, hail, honour, laud, magnify, praise, and revere," the adorers repeated the fifteen descriptive words of their supplication.

"Her Divine Majesty," they referred once more to the beginning of their ruler's formal monarchical style, then uttered it in full.

"Whose power permeates all Creation," they gave their reverent description,  
"Whose providence is in the Darkest Domain,  
And upon whom our very existence depends.  
The Lesser Darkness, she is the active Divine!  
There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!"

Having given tribute to their dark superior's perceived achievement regarding mandatory existence, they proceeded further.

"In you do we hope these," they declared,  
"May you establish your sovereignty speedily,  
Remove vain and empty worship from Creation,  
Cut off all remaining false deities,  
And perfect Creation with your might,  
So that you who are our superior and their superior shall prevail."

Sefira felt touched by that small declaration of what she considered her own manifest destiny, that she would prevail; this had its inspirational origin in contemporary fiction. She also felt relieved, since her uncle made a lesser mockery of her by using those words.

"Then, all created beings shall call upon you," her subjects continued,  
And all who have gone astray will turn towards you,  
Accepting that, at your name and to your majesty,  
Every knee shall bend, every tongue swear loyalty.  
Then, before you shall all created beings bow, kneel, prostrate in veneration,  
Honour your name and majesty,  
And subordinate themselves to the absolutism of your order.  
May all of your will be done throughout Creation soon,  
For yours alone are the sovereignty, greatness, might, glory, victory, and majesty,  
For time everlasting.  
Then, your name and your majesty shall be omniversal."

After hearing all these prayers, the Lesser Darkness focused her attention on the temple congregational leaders.

"I bless you by the Divine Darkness, the Divine God, and the Active Divine Feminine," they gave a concluding blessing upon all the other attendants,  
"May the triune Divine bless you and keep you, and be with you."

* * *

 _Author's Note: Thus concludes the concluding prayer, a purposely perverse derivative of a traditionally controversial prayer. The fifteen words "Acclaim […] revere," which have appeared in earlier chapters, are inspired by one authoritative opinion on how many honorific descriptions are required in another prayer, a mourners' prayer. Also, the words "superior shall prevail" are inspired by the fatal deception of the Númenóreans in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien._

 _Chuck and Amara took part in both lengthy prayers, the_ Amidah _("Standing") and the_ Aleinu _("It is our duty"), including a theological modified version of the former, during the sibling-oriented prayer service they had attended._

 _Meanwhile, the final blessing, not an expression of strict, unitarian monotheism, is inspired by this archaeological inscription:_

I bless you by YHWH of [Samaria/Teman/other location] and his Asherah.  
May he bless you and keep you, and be with my lord.


	52. In Her Image

**In Her Image**

After relishing all the mass veneration that been heaped upon her, Sefira desired symbolic conquests that would prefigure her sovereignty becoming omniversal. For this did the Lesser Darkness set her sights upon select places on physical worlds she had modified.

Within these isolated places did certain species reside: australopithecines, or australopiths. On Earth, one of the australopith species had evolved into multiple homo species, including intelligent ones such as modern humans. As the dark sovereign observed them, she did so with obvious contempt and cast nothing more than eyes of destruction upon them. Those capable of observing her took meticulous note of her seething with contempt.

The created dark essence remembered her gratefulness for not having been commanded to love humanity, the ones who had been created in the original image of the Darkness and God, more than her mother. Even though she found no difficulty maintaining respect for these flawed creatures, the same could not be said about the creatures within her focused gaze. Simply put, the australopiths were not intelligent species.

The prejudiced one proceeded to compare the Adonim to these primitive species, while remembering the former's differences with humans, for she had indeed created them in her image, her new image of the Darkness and God. First, they possessed the most neurons within their respective cerebral cortices, surpassing even long-finned pilot whales in this regard. Second, they had cortical neuron densities exceeding those of humans, enabling all those neurons to function within cranial capacities identical to those of Neanderthals. Third, they were unrivalled in neural connectivity, surpassing those of orcas, and their brains possessed the highest degree of cortical convolutions, or folds, to reflect this. Even with all of these, they were also without equal in neural energy efficiency. In contrast, the australopiths before her possessed none of these.

Having reconsidered the intelligence-related advantages of her apex creations on the physical plane, the Lesser Darkness shifted her focus to other biological advantages.


	53. Other Intelligent Designs

**Other Intelligent Designs**

Once Sefira reconsidered the superior intelligence of the Adonim over the australopiths under dark observation, she reconsidered the sensory, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, muscular, and other biological advantages that the former possessed in comparison to the latter. The Lesser Darkness reminded herself that, although all these other intelligent designs had nothing to do with the dual image of the Darkness and God, they were implemented originally in order to surpass humanity.

The apex creations had been blessed with the most advanced sensory systems within the entire physical plane of the omniverse. Their sense of sight combined the distance sight of eagles, the nighttime vision of tigers, and the photoreception diversity of mantis shrimp. Their sense of smell aped that of bears. Their sense of hearing was extraordinarily broad, rivaling those of wax moths and their bat predators at the high frequency end and rivaling those of pigeons at the low frequency end.

The non-intelligence advantages of these creatures were not limited to sensory ones. Their circulatory systems were comparable to those of giraffes, and their red blood cells were comparable to those of mouse deer. Their immune systems were filled with antibodies not unlike those of sharks. Other internal systems even rivaled those of the greatest prehistorical animals, for their respiratory systems were as efficient as those of dinosaurs, and their digestive systems combined the relative bite force of megapiranhas with the teeth regrowth of megalodons. Finally, the creatures themselves were not three or even five times stronger than humans, but rather ten times stronger, as strong as dolphins.

Contemptuously, Sefira assembled Adonim in her worlds who were able to bear arms, and created portals for them to proceed to their faraway missions. Her displeased voice was then heard amongst them, as she briefed them on the appearance of the australopiths.

"When you cross these portals and enter the domains of which I spoke," she commanded, "look at the creature I have identified for you. If it is an australopith, kill it. Certainly the australopith is also of a sub-Adon species, but a cockroach is also an insect, and a most unpleasant one! Destroy it utterly, make no deals with it, and show it no mercy! Should you refrain from doing this, it will become as a thorn in your sides!"

The chosen Adonim obeyed the Lesser Darkness and went on their mandated exterminations, their symbolic conquests.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira's comparison of australopiths to cockroaches, while similar to Lucifer's own comparison of humans to those insects, is more inspired, darkly, by anti-Semitic comparisons of Jews to fleas made by the Nazis. The speech surrounding this comparison is a purposely perverse twist on Deuteronomy 12:10, Exodus 1:16, Deuteronomy 7:2, and Numbers 33:55._


	54. Wars Of Extermination

**Wars Of Extermination**

As the Adon warriors waged their obliteration campaigns against the australopiths living in all the targeted worlds, Sefira felt the urge to badger these soldiers of hers.

"Slay both adult males and adult females, and both toddlers and sucklings!" demanded the Lesser Darkness, "Do not even covet them, let alone keep them for yourselves as pack animals, draft animals, riding animals, or other kinds of working animals!"

"As you yourselves have professed with your own mouths," she reminded them of the mass veneration they had given her, "I did not create you by evolving your kind from hominoids, nor did I create you in a day or over millions of years!"

"Remember your superior emergence not through the unintelligent design of theistic evolution, but through my supremely intelligent design," she appealed to their prejudice, "as you fulfill your manifest destiny and wipe out the suboptimal designs before you!"

Motivated by their clear sense of species superiority, the chosen Adonim fought like ruthless savages. Not only did they put an end to every australopith they came across, regardless of sex or age, some were sadistic enough to kill the toddlers and sucklings first, even whole groups of them, in full view of their helpless parents.

"Not even human khans had commanded this extent of raw annihilation!" gloated the exterminative one who bore witness, "Let the slaughter continue!"

After each slaughter, the apex creations burned the remains, while their dark creator had the pleasure of taking in the sweet savour of eradication.

"Never again should I need to purge worlds to this extent because of Uncle's sorry mistakes," she reassured herself at her uncle's expense.

Eventually, each massacre committed by the Adon subjects ended up being more rapid than even those of one Genghis Khan.

"In this small space of time, I have succeeded!" the dark sovereign echoed the notorious, one-time conqueror, "My subjects came, observed, and brought to extinction!"

When all wars of extermination were said and done, the Lesser Darkness nourished the chosen Adonim and brought them back to their original homes.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The further encouragement towards extermination is a purposely perverse twist on 1 Samuel 15:3 and Deuteronomy 7:25, while "sweet savour" and "never again" are purposely perverse twists on Genesis 8:21. Introduced in the three most current chapters are the philosophical concepts of theistic evolution and intelligent design, as well as the argument of unintelligent design, or suboptimal design, used against the creationism of the latter concept._

 _Meanwhile, Sefira's echoing of Genghis Khan is based on an actual statement of pride on his part._


	55. Another's Conjuration Work

**Another's Conjuration Work**

Having accomplished her multi-civilizational aims, Sefira turned off once again the means of audio communication from her Dark Gateway of Divinity to the omniverse beyond her Darkest Domain. Despite the accomplishment, the Lesser Darkness intensified her temporal manipulation by a factor of twenty, instead of ceasing it.

Throughout all this, all the Adonim and redeemed humans, as well as all their worlds and all relevant astronomical objects, remained unaffected by her temporal manipulation. This was due to the now-instantaneous recharge of her Instruments of the Darkness that their mass veneration continued to enable.

"Apollyon!" she called out her most powerful subject, who in turn approached her.

"What does my Deity Supreme and my High Sovereign command?" requested the strongest of her Dark Arch-Nephilim.

The dark emanation intended to work around one particular limitation to the nigh-omnipotence as high as even her own, her uncle's, or her mother's. None of them could exert temporal manipulation as strong as the current one, let alone a temporal freeze, while engaging in conjuration or destruction on a celestial or cosmic scale. She was fortunate to have been the beneficiary of such a workaround when the most powerful entity in existence had exerted much stronger temporal manipulation, while she herself did her creative activities. Now, she would be the one to support another's conjuration work, which would include at least one limited instance of primordial conjuration.

Innately, Apollyon was nowhere near powerful enough to perform the highest of creative activities. However, with one preliminary enhancement, she would be powerful enough to wield the Hammer of Death, and then perform one or more limited instances of primordial conjuration with it.

"You are to walk in my ways," revealed Sefira, "for your augmented self shall create like I have."

Upon hearing these words, the hybrid became intimidated.

"I am not worthy to have you," the intimidated one recited briefly before continuing otherwise, "task me with this, but only empower me, O Active Divine Feminine, and I will be empowered."

The dark superior proceeded to transfer all the tens of millions of Lilin souls from her physical vessel to that of the humble one, who instantly equalled the innate power of the late Death. The former then lent the latter the Hammer of Death itself.

"Thus shall you steward my Hammer of Death," the Lesser Darkness charged the Dark Arch-Naphil, "and create!"


	56. Lesser Trinkets

**Lesser Trinkets**

Sefira's transfer of all the Lilin souls from within her physical vessel was inconsequential. For a fearsome essence as powerful as the Lesser Darkness had become, whatever little power had been given away would be restored.

In the meantime, the slightly diminished one desired to have created additional Instruments of the Dark Herald, the non-primordial trinkets being used by her avatars to rival individually the use of an Angel Tablet. She had not gotten around to this matter back in the company of her mother and her uncle, when she focused exclusively on primordial creation. Now, she gave thorough instructions to Apollyon, now augmented by all the transferred Lilin souls, for this being would be responsible for the instrumental creations.

"That, my dark subject," she said, "is how you create such an Instrument with this Hammer. Now proceed."

As the strongest of the Dark Arch-Nephilim proceeded to utilize the tool given to her, her dark superior gave further thought to her own tactical enhancements. Before she had imbued Creation itself with Leviathan essences, twelve was the maximum number of the non-primordial instruments that could exist simultaneously throughout the omniverse, without grave existential consequences. Until now, although she had no limitations with the number of avatars she could deploy, only twelve could be equipped with the existing non-primordial instruments. Now, dozens of these could exist simultaneously throughout the omniverse.

Despite these tactical enhancements, no Instrument of the Dark Herald could be utilized in the very presence of its dark master. In that situation, it would be rendered impotent, in an instant, by the power negation ability inherent in any primordial Instrument of the Darkness. Within her dark essence, where the lesser trinket would be most of the time, it would be without purpose.

"Milady," the Dark Arch-Naphil broke her silence to report, "your Instruments of the Dark Herald await."

Without a second thought, the dark possessor extended her arm, as if to collect her newest possessions numbering at least one dozen. All of those lesser trinkets then dissipated and found their way into the very essence of the Lesser Darkness.


	57. Instruments Of Time

**Instruments Of Time**

It came to pass that the primordial basis of dark matter yielded primordial blood for Sefira to call her own. This milestone made itself known to the Lesser Darkness, by means of her observation from the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity. She, in turn, shared this development with Apollyon.

"Milady," spoke the strongest of the Dark Arch-Nephilim, "you can now perform primordial creation using your substance, but without really using your substance. I am not truly a creative being, for my hands are faulty."

"I know you're trying to shirk the duty given to you," the dark superior shot back, "but no matter. You need only create one set of limited instruments for me."

"Once upon a time," she narrated, "the former wielder of that Hammer you carry spent several millions of years using it to fashion a scythe from deathly substance of a primordial kind. Both the Hammer and the scythe shared one thing in common: specialized powers. The former could not be used for anything but creation, including primordial creation, while the latter could not be used for anything but deathly functions."

"See these?" she then asked.

The Dark Arch-Naphil saw both lower arms being presented to her. They were adorned with, among other Instruments of the Darkness, triple-article slave bracelets.

"When I created these," reminisced the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine, "I created them to be just like any other of my supreme Instruments. That said, I did consider briefly the possibility of creating them as specialized tools of nigh-unrivalled temporal manipulation: Instruments of Time. The time has come, my dear, to realize the best of both worlds!"

The commanding one grabbed liberally from the primordial blood yielded and passed it to Apollyon. Without second-guessing, the latter went to work, swinging the Hammer of Death upon the blood while in the process of forging two triple-article slave bracelets, bracelets designed specifically for the aforementioned temporal manipulation. She looked forward to being relieved of the creative work that had been imposed upon her.

"What you create now," the former disclosed, "shall in fact be your very reward."

Once completed with her task, the Dark Arch-Naphil wore the two primordial Instruments of Time, and tested it by substituting the omniversal manipulation of time by the Lesser Darkness with her very own.


	58. Many Crowns

**Many Crowns**

Having handed over the responsibility of manipulating time, Sefira received the Hammer of Death back from Apollyon, who returned it to her. Although the Lesser Darkness had relished all the mass veneration that been heaped upon her, she realized only there and then that no crown rested upon the head of her physical form.

"It is time for many crowns to rest upon my head," she said coolly, not giving any impression that this matter slipped from her mind.

Earlier, the dark sovereign had come to think of herself as the living embodiment of the active Divine, and had come to think of the latter as a mystical system with seventeen terrifying extensions, not unlike two or three would-be apocalyptic figures with seven heads and ten horns. Enough time had passed, and she desired a dark yet royal headwear of celestial substance that reflected this mysticism. If ancient pharaohs could wear double crowns to exhibit Egyptian sovereignty greater than the sum of its two parts, and if supreme pontiffs could wear triple tiaras, then she could aim to wear something far more ambitious.

She who arose in might turned to the second-tier substance from which her non-primordial Instruments of the Dark Herald were fashioned. She went to work, ultimately forging the headwear with the Hammer of Death.

"Ten crowns for the ten horns of living dark power," Sefira spoke while forging, referring to the six Dark Archangels and Dark Arch-Nephilim under her command. Her voice was such that it could be perceived as coming from divinity.

"Seven for the seven heads of personal dark power," she continued, referring to the five Instruments of the Darkness on her person, to the supermassive Leviathan gestalt that was her direct possession, and to the supernaturally enhanced Adon vessel that was her indirect possession.

"One for emanating wisely from the presence of the Divine Darkness," she concluded poetically,  
"One for proceeding with assent from the presence of the Divine God,  
And one for being the Active Divine Feminine!"

Ultimately, what resulted from the forging was a work of darkly art that was to be in the possession of the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note: At face value, Sefira is making a mockery of the twelfth verse of the disputed book of Revelation's 19th chapter, by drawing primarily upon the evil imageries of Revelation 12:3 and 13:1. However, it is by drawing upon the imagery of the ancient Egyptian_ pschent _that she is treading dangerous ground from a truly divine perspective._

 _Meanwhile, the poetic speech is inspired two-fold by the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien, specifically by the full One Ring poem and especially by the Iron Crown forged out of primordial covetousness._


	59. Surpassing Medusa

**Surpassing Medusa**

Sefira beheld her work of darkly art, for the headgear had a total of twenty crowns attached to the two hats. The Lesser Darkness made sure that the details of her work would not go unnoticed either by her mother, the Darkness, or by her uncle, God.

Attached to the outer, shorter hat was the main crown, and mounted upon it were seven little sculptures representing the necks and heads of a terrifying, multi-headed beast. Here, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine had surpassed both the Gorgon monster Medusa and one of the apocalyptic beasts. She had animated all the heads, such that each could speak of any matter, and such that each could, at her sole discretion, speak mere words to cause the supernatural deaths of any non-celestial being who refused to venerate her worshipfully through prostration.

Atop each of six of the sculptures were a little crown, a little horn in the middle, and a tiny crown resting upon the horn. Each little horn, in turn, was in fact a jewel imbued with non-primordial power equivalent to that of an Instrument of the Dark Herald. The little horns were held back from having their power exerted individually and collectively, not least due to being in the immediate vicinity of just a single Instrument of the Darkness and its inherent inhibiting capabilities.

Atop the front sculpture was a little crown, four little horns in the middle, and a tiny crown resting upon each horn. Here, Sefira had been inspired by one ancient vision of a symbolic goat with four horns, for the movements of this thing were akin to the traversing of the surface of Earth itself, without laying a touch upon it. Like the other little horns, these four were jewels that stored comparative non-primordial power.

Last, but not least, attached to the inner, taller hat were two crowns. For the most powerful created in existence, these reminded her of the only two entities in all of existence who surpassed her in nigh-omnipotence.

Gently, the Lesser Darkness held the headgear with many crowns, then placed it atop the head of her physical form.

* * *

 _Author's Note: In addition to drawing upon two aforementioned imageries of evil in the disputed book of Revelation, Sefira is drawing upon a third: Revelation 13:5. Moreover, she is drawing upon the apocalyptic detail of Daniel 8:8, in addition to drawing upon the imagery of the triple tiara worn scarcely by popes. However, the real affront from a truly divine perspective, the real treading upon dangerous ground, is her drawing upon the imagery of the ancient Egyptian_ pschent _._

 _Meanwhile, the jewel-horns of Sefira's headgear are inspired by the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien, specifically by the three stolen Silmarils borne by the Iron Crown forged out of primordial covetousness._


	60. Faraway Power Source

**Faraway Power Source**

Having crowned herself elegantly, Sefira turned her attention towards the primordial blood that had been generated by the primordial basis of dark matter. The Lesser Darkness then turned her attention towards various spiritual realms.

The ambitious one remembered the final upgrade made to the Commonwealth of Heaven by her uncle: the Seraphim, Brilliant Ones, regular angels, and Upper Ones could now access the base power of the rank immediately above theirs, provided they were not cut off from the realm. She also remembered the many tablet computers and spares containing the entire Word of God, the many Angel Tablets, and the many Tablets of the Guardians. Though she had simulated defeating the angelic forces and an array of other supernatural forces, she desired to emulate yet surpass the heavenly upgrades shown to her. While the Instruments of the Darkness had to be worn on her person in order to be used, the heavenly upgrades allowed the use of augmented power while the source of the latter remained far away. As she gazed upon various spiritual realms, she desired for a suitable realm to behave similarly with respect to her.

"As you can see, Apollyon," she disclosed, "I am looking for a faraway power source to augment my power further. With this primordial blood that I can call my own, I intend to make the most suitable realm capable of absorbing the collective powers of its inhabitants and of redirecting them towards me, no matter where I am."

At this point, the insatiate one narrowed the realms down to three. First, there was the previous prison of a supermassive Leviathan gestalt, before she moved it elsewhere. Next, there was the Darkest Domain itself. Last, but not least, there was the Bottomless Pit itself. Her process of elimination removed the first two realms from further consideration due to one reason alone: they had not been made out of the primordial basis of dark matter. That left her with only the third realm, which her mother had created from another portion of the primordial basis of dark matter.

The Bottomless Pit was perfect for the Lesser Darkness, for it imprisoned more than one supermassive Leviathan gestalt, more than one such primordial combiner.


	61. Virtual Omnipotence Within Reach

**Virtual Omnipotence Within Reach**

Once Sefira had settled upon the Bottomless Pit as the most suitable candidate for her faraway source of additional augmented power, she manipulated the primordial blood before her sights so as to enable its destination's ceaseless spaghettification of its monster inhabitants to drain their collective powers. The Lesser Darkness determined that the entire scheme was superior to any upgraded Instrument of the Darkness, for the powers of the inhabitants could renew themselves at adequate rates.

As the dark superior was preparing to send this to the abysmal realm itself, she could not resist expressing one particular boast for Apollyon to hear.

"With this shall I truly match you in virtual omnipotence, Uncle!" came the gloat.

When she was ready, she shot the primordial blood before her sights towards the abysmal realm. With virtual omnipotence within reach, she anticipated the extent of collective powers that could be drained and redirected at any time, for it would be significantly greater than the combined power of all four primordial cousins of hers, the innate power of the late Death himself, or even the power of his deathly Ring. Although this extent would be significantly lesser than the innate power of the most powerful created being in existence, three times the might of her most powerful primordial cousin would be of no irrelevance.

Such addition to all her existing power would propel her to new feats. She would be capable of destroying the entire omniverse with one instantaneous cataclysm, creating another one just as instantly, altering time as the second fundamental rule of existence, withstanding divine banishment with full immunity, and even inflicting fatal damage upon her uncle. However, although she was in a position to take for granted her physical vessel's veneration-based ability to recharge instantaneously her Instruments, she would remain incapable of recharging them instantaneously by other means. She would still be incapable of extending her limited realization of mandatory existence to the level of her mother or her uncle, as well as incapable of healing the latter, fully and easily, from fatal injuries.

When the primordial blood finally reached the Bottomless Pit and did its work there, the supermassive Leviathan gestalts, already incapable of escaping, felt their primordial powers being drained from them. The non-primordial monsters also felt their non-primordial powers being drained from them. The Lesser Darkness reacted with a smirky grin.


	62. Something Completely Unexpected

**Something Completely Unexpected**

Now that the Bottomless Pit had drained the collective powers of its inhabitants, Sefira tried tapping into those extracted powers to experiment with the virtual omnipotence that was supposed to be hers. However, the Lesser Darkness came across something completely unexpected, for the incoming powers negated not only the Instruments of the Darkness being equipped on her person, but also the Hammer of Death being wielded by her, the Instruments of Time being worn by her most powerful servant, and even the ten jewels adorning her very headgear. Time throughout Creation was restored to normal, if only for a moment.

Then came about an unexpected kind of temporal manipulation. Not only was this beyond all the ambitious one's innate and augmented power, but it also slowed down immensely the flow of time within her very own Darkest Domain, such that it was immensely slower than the flows of time elsewhere.

"Not this again!" she expressed abject frustration.

For the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine, this was nothing less than a sharp reminder of her earlier humbling experience, the divine negation of all her innate and augmented power. This time, at least, the augmented power of her indirect possession that was a supernaturally enhanced Adon vessel, the power of her direct possession that had been a supermassive Leviathan gestalt, and her innate power had all remained intact. This time, at least, she was diminished, however temporarily, almost back to her power levels before enhancing them in the Bottomless Pit itself.

She and Apollyon scrambled to restore what had been lost. The much stronger of the two wasted no time exerting all the incoming powers towards temporal manipulation of her own, but to no avail. Only when the time dilation had run its course did time within the Darkest Domain return to normal.

"Milady," called out the strongest of the Dark Arch-Nephilim, "your hold on time has been restored!"

For both of them, the moment of relief could not come soon enough. Despite this, the Lesser Darkness knew much better than her dark creation, and decided without hesitation to utilize her faraway source of additional augmented power, the Bottomless Pit, only when her primordial Instruments could not be used. Given their now-instantaneous recharge rates, it was wondered if any drained power from the abysmal realm could ever be unleashed again.

* * *

 _Author's Note: What or who could be responsible for the unexpected power negation and more?_


	63. Divine Warning

**Divine Warning**

While in her state of frustration, Sefira felt a divine call reach her from somewhere. It became clear to the Lesser Darkness that none other than her mother, the Darkness, was calling her, and so she opened the telepathic exchange from her end.

 _Mother? You grace me with this call!_

 _Cut the flattery, my dear. Your uncle and I have observed you this whole time, and he has even done a little more than just that._

The most powerful created being in existence pondered about those motherly words. The first point to consider was that, from the moment she had proceeded to create her Darkest Domain in all its dark majesty, she herself was under the gaze of her mother and her uncle. The second point to consider was it was none other than God himself who had pulled divine pranks on her this whole time. It was he who had caused the first generation of Adonim to raise their voices in ecstasy, reminding her of her most humbling situation before the Divine Presence. It was he who had responded to her taunting and gloating this whole time by thwarting, just now, her attempt to match him in virtual omnipotence.

 _Thanks for relaying Uncle's espionage and sabotage, I guess._

 _I'm calling you to warn you that your banishment by your uncle won't be the last time your pride will be humbled publicly._

Sefira was far less surprised by this foreboding communication. After all, she had witnessed the setup and proliferation of the very instruments that would showcase her most humbling moments: Arks of the Pact. At a minimum, they now contained audiovisual holographic recordings of the moments when all her innate and augmented power had been divinely negated. She presumed that these Hands of the Divine, now hidden in places secure from the gaze of her device of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience, would eventually contain similar recordings of the next public humiliation.

 _Tell me something I don't know!_

 _That will be all. Until next time, farewell._

When the telepathic exchange with divine warning ended, the Lesser Darkness felt a most hardened determination to find and deal with these arks.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Only now has the Darkness made in appearance in this story._


	64. Foment Throughout Creation

**Foment Throughout Creation**

After a few moments to regather herself, Sefira found her attention being requested on another front. None other than Samael was about to brief the Lesser Darkness.

"This had better be important, Samael!" barked the ambitious one.

Although the strongest Dark Archangel could not utilize the spherical tool that he, his dark superior, and others were in, he was able to sense things fomenting in the two Heavens and elsewhere throughout Creation, things which the most powerful created being in existence would have surely focused more upon, were it not for her recovery from what transpired just moments ago.

"Things beyond the natural are fomenting throughout Creation, including the Heavens, my Deity Supreme and my High Sovereign!" he gave the news.

She who arose in might exerted her power to confirm the supernatural foment, then was inspired by words uttered in the past by none other than her mother, the Darkness.

"You're right," she confirmed to her dark creation what she sensed, "You're actually handy to have around."

Next, the dark creator reactivated fully her enormous device of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience, the sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, and brought the supernatural realms within its gaze. While Avalon and even the independent Republic of Heaven appeared to have no upgrades or significant dealings, atop the hierarchy of Hell stood a respectable number of the whitest-eyed demons, demons who had not existed as such until this moment. Pantheons of self-proclaimed deities whom she spared from mass extermination, due to abstinence from human sacrifice, were now discussing their respective alignments with the Commonwealth of Heaven, which they had made recently.

As for the source of the foment, Sefira observed completed upgrades, upgrades in progress, and political discussions. There was not a single angel in the Commonwealth of Heaven who was not augmented by an infused Naphil grace. Two monster corpses were producing monster eggs at an impressive rate, and monster souls were being extracted and stockpiled. Weapons of Heaven, apart from angel blades, were being produced and stockpiled not just there, but also in localized pocket dimensions or pocket universes. Discussed in that very moment was the audacious move of releasing sealed angelic hybrids, including the original Nephilim.

Negativity seeped into the Lesser Darkness, for her extreme confidence earlier about existing supernatural beings realigning themselves with her had proven to be a most mistaken one.

* * *

 _The events of this chapter and the subsequent ones occur in parallel with the events of_ _Grand Council Of Angels_ _.  
s/12651895/1/Grand-Council-Of-Angels_


	65. Newfound Capabilities Of Opponents

**Newfound Capabilities Of Opponents**

Open discussion on resistance unfolded within the observable gaze of Sefira herself. Having underestimated the recent angelic appreciation of free will, the Lesser Darkness focused on the newfound capabilities of these opponents, individual denizens of the Commonwealth of Heaven, made possible by the Nephilim graces that they extracted and infused.

The upgrade initiative of these angels was remarkable. Each angel within the Supernal Men, Cherubim, Children of the Strong Ones, and Strong Ones had become two-and-a-half times stronger on a permanent basis. Each fully augmented angel of the Supernal Men had become a bit stronger than a non-augmented angel of the Children of the Strong Ones. Each fully augmented angel of the Cherubim had become a bit stronger than a non-augmented angel of the Strong Ones; a Cherub of the first class could now prevail against a regular demon. Each fully augmented angel of the Children of the Strong Ones had become a bit stronger than a non-augmented angel of the Upper Ones, while each fully augmented Strong One had become a bit stronger than a non-augmented regular Angel.

Further up the heavenly hierarchy, each angel within the Upper Ones, regular Angels, and Brilliant Ones had become four times stronger on a permanent basis. Compared to a non-augmented Seraph, each fully augmented Upper One had become a bit stronger, while each fully augmented regular Angel had become markedly stronger; the latter could now emit holy white light for individual attacks. Compared to a non-augmented Seraph, each fully augmented Brilliant One had become significantly stronger, and could now perform vessel locking and even remove Holy Fire when not surrounded.

Although the grace-derived benefits for each Seraph, Fiery One, Electric One, Valiant One, and Holy Living One were indeed marginal, when compared to the abilities of markedly inferior beings, these benefits were noticeable. Sefira determined, rather easily, that each of these highest of non-primordial angels would be augmented by a meaningful number of monster souls. Even fifty thousand of such things, having altogether all the innate power of a Fiery One, would be sufficient to be meaningful.

It had become abundantly clear to the Lesser Darkness that, were she to engage audaciously all these augmented beings, only by herself, she would not be able to refrain from utilizing primordial-level power negation.


	66. Multitudes Of Celestial Soldiers

**Multitudes Of Celestial Soldiers**

Overwhelmed with all that had been brought to her attention, Sefira resorted rather impulsively to the coldly comforting thought of deploying her non-primordial celestial soldiers, so that they would solve all her strategic problems at once. When the Lesser Darkness created them, the Thrones numbered only in the dozens, and the Dominations only in the hundreds; each of the Origins, Potentates, Principalities, and Authorities numbered only in the thousands, while each of the Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments numbered only in the millions. Generations later, these beings had multiplied in number like sand on the seashore, for they had the same reproductive capabilities as the Adonim.

Within her Darkest Domain, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine assembled an entire host for a momentous mission.

"Soldiers," she exhorted her audience, "great weapons have been buried away from the piercing gaze of my power."

The troubled one briefed them on the basic features of an Ark of the Pact, then ordered them to find each one.

"Once you find any Ark of the Pact," she gave a warning of her own, "do not look into it! A deadly spirit within will emerge and strike you down, and those of you who survive such an encounter, if any, will know that its hands have dealt with you most harshly. Instead, request my presence at once! Now go!"

As the host moved out, Sefira returned her focus towards dealing with the strategic designs of the Commonwealth of Heaven. Cold reality settled in her mind, as she realized that unleashing her multitudes of celestial soldiers for the sole purpose of conquering the holdout by themselves would be fruitless.

The dark commander determined that the augmented opponents would have little trouble disposing of the qualitatively inferior invaders, whom she had deliberately not augmented. While they could do so by means of one-on-one combat, they could also resort to combined smiting and rain death down. Without primordial-level power negation in advance, either her presence or that of Apollyon, Mashhit, or Samael would be required to prevent the defenders' leadership from making short work out of her troops.

Still, the Lesser Darkness was determined to make heavy use of these expendable celestial forces against the Commonwealth of Heaven, while another means of subduing its denizens was to be pursued.


	67. Of The Highest Degree

**Of The Highest Degree**

Given all that the Commonwealth of Heaven had plotted against Sefira, one imposing endgame emerged for her darkest consideration: that these hostiles and other celestial beings should be restrained by the same kind of runes and spellwork that she herself crafted upon the vessels of her archangelic creations, upon the Dark Arch-Nephilim, and upon the Adonim at large.

"Yes, runes and spellwork to subjugate all these winged suck-ups and others to my power," grinned the Lesser Darkness, who gave no care to whether or not these words would reach her mother or her uncle.

"I will gather all of Creation," came the emphatic boast, "that no intelligent creation shall flap a wing or open one's mouth to peep unless I allow it!"

Those words of self-assurance were followed by more contemplative ones.

"I could just appear instantaneously in their very midst, negate all their power, and subjugate them there and then!" the imposing one verbalized her thoughts, "However, such fierceness, hastiness, impetuousness, and ruthlessness, all of the highest degree and all at once, would only force Uncle's hand at another attempt at public humiliation."

After further reflection, she who arose in might determined that manipulation and deception of the highest degree would be required to bring all current and potential opposition to heel. An extremely cunning scheme then entered her mind, and for the sake of this did she dare not risk mentioning it, lest the words reach the Darkness and especially God, rather prematurely.

Returning her attention to the goings-on of the Commonwealth of Heaven, Sefira remembered the angelic discussion about releasing sealed angelic hybrids, including the original Nephilim. At first, she thought about releasing and subduing these beings herself, just as her opposition said she might do. She relented, not wanting to compel her uncle to take immediate action against her. Instead, she would have her opposition release these hybrids for her to subdue at some point.

At this point, everything came together seamlessly. Expendable hosts of Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments were to be unleashed in officially unprovoked war against the Commonwealth of Heaven. Their assault, however futile, would make the defenders' leadership desperate to release the sealed hybrids, and even accept subsequent manipulation and deception, of the highest degree, by the Lesser Darkness.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The dark boast near the beginning is inspired by Isaiah 10:14, while the mention of simultaneous fierceness, hastiness, impetuousness, and ruthlessness is inspired by Habakkuk 1:6._


	68. Manner Of War Criminals

**Manner Of War Criminals**

Feeling so sure about her most confidential schemes, Sefira decided to have the second-strongest Dark Arch-Naphil within her ranks, Mashhit, lead the throwaway army. The Lesser Darkness summoned the latter for the upcoming battle.

"Mashhit!" she called without a hint of patience.

"What does my Deity Supreme and my High Sovereign command?" the summoned one requested while approaching hastily.

"You shall lead my host to do battle with the Commonwealth of Heaven," the summoner commanded succinctly.

"Do not be deterred by fear," she spoke, "but, rather, surprise them."

"Have your way with the Ishim, Cherubim, Bene Elim, and Elim," she continued while imagining darkly this mass slaughter to come, "you and the Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments under your command."

"Cut down many from among the aforementioned weaklings, in the manner of war criminals throughout history," she enjoined sadistically, "but do not cut them down to extinction."

"And what of the higher ranks? What of the Elyonim, regular Malakhim, Tarshishim, Seraphim, Shinanim, Hashmallim, Erelim, and Chayot Ha Kodesh?" the appointed general asked the obvious.

"Do not go on the offensive against them, for I have something special planned for them," grinned the Dark Herald.

"At last, we shall have honour of witnessing the utter destruction of that obstinate realm!" Mashhit said a boast of her own. In her limited mind, she thought that the assigned host would serve as a distraction, while her dark superior would unleash utter destruction upon the higher ranks.

"No, you dunce!" Sefira snapped angrily to insult the second-strongest of her Dark Arch-Nephilim. The latter was demonstrably not as proficient strategically as the former.

"This initial attack – like as if their resistance efforts aren't a provocation already," she snarked, "is meant to be a terrifying message for them!"

"Simply put, their efforts have not gone unnoticed," she changed from snarking to smirking, then provided the full details of her desired message.

"Easy discernment of their schemes is impossible for other celestials, but for me," she prepared to recite, "all things are possible."

The appointed general understood, then offered her acknowledgement.

"As you command, Your Divine Majesty," came the affirmation, before the swift departure from the darker presence.

For her part, the Lesser Darkness looked forward to putting both sides of the upcoming battle to the test, for her own amusement and much more.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The title of this chapter is inspired by Articles 12 and 13 of the first Geneva Convention, which classify the killing of injured enemy soldiers, even while on the battlefield, as a war crime._


	69. Castle-Like Tower Ships

**Castle-Like Tower Ships**

From her highest place within the Darkest Domain, Sefira beheld the sheer size of her expeditionary forces. Those whom the Lesser Darkness had assigned to Mashhit, whether Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, or Regiments, numbered three million.

Assigned to these many troops, for their use against the Commonwealth of Heaven, were exactly one thousand slow-flying vessels. Each of these seemingly pre-modern vessels was akin to a moving castle, for it was, in limited corporeal terms, approximately three hundred meters long and five decks high. Each had an enclosed propulsion deck for enhanced protection. Each had portholes and other openings for arrows and lances to be fired from. Each had derricks armed with heavy striking balls, to be used against the walls of the angelic realm. Each had, mounted on the uppermost deck, a trebuchet system, also to be used against those same walls. Each had a maximum crew complement of three thousand troops. The sight of even a single such vessel was expected to strike trepidation into the very graces of the angelic opposition. The sight of many, many such vessels was expected to strike sheer terror.

The chaplains amongst the troops sprinkled these mechanical behemoths with consecrated liquid on hand, and blessed them darkly.

"By your own power," came the blessing for the weapons of war,  
"And the might of your own hand,  
Have you blessed these implements of war.  
Exalted are you, Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns, who wills holy war!"

Based on her knowledge of the opposing realm, the celestial lady of war anticipated those angels patrolling outside not to put up much of a resistance. These forces went about with only their angel blades in hand. Such weapons would not make any dent in the armour of her slow-flying, castle-like tower ships, while celestial arrows and lances fired from within would assure tactical supremacy all around the perimeter.

There was also the expectation that the anticipated mass smitings emanating from within the Commonwealth of Heaven would destroy her assault vessels. Despite this, the fabricating capabilities of the Darkest Domain were such that tower ships could be made en masse, including in sufficient numbers to replace those to be thrown into the offensive.

With her complete consideration did the Lesser Darkness feel accomplished towards the realization of these slow-flying, castle-like tower ships from their conceptualization.

* * *

 _Author's Note: Sefira's slow-flying, castle-like tower ships are inspired primarily by the ancient Chinese_ louchuan _, a three-stored tower ship. They are also inspired by five-storey "junk" ships from the Sui dynasty, and also by the_ panokseon _ship of the Korean Joseon dynasty._

 _Meanwhile, the ending of the dark blessing for weapons of war is inspired by the notorious words "Deus vult" ("God wills it"), as uttered to begin the medieval Crusades._


	70. Celestial Rabshakeh

**Celestial Rabshakeh**

From atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, Sefira observed the swift movements of those under the command of Mashhit. The glorious moment came for the Lesser Darkness, when she saw her expeditionary forces engage those Supernal Men, Cherubim, Children of the Strong Ones, and Strong Ones who were patrolling just outside the Commonwealth of Heaven.

The anticipated manner of war criminals came to pass repeatedly. On purpose, many an attacker inflicted upon many a defender highly injurious blows that were not fatal, then followed up to put down the latter without mercy. With these war crimes, the celestial lady of war expected the most heavenly beings beneath her to release the sealed angelic hybrids, whether out of heightened fear or out of heightened anger.

The dark observer then saw her second-strongest Dark Arch-Naphil convey the message that had been commanded. The latter began with the formal monarchical style, then continued as if she were a celestial Rabshakeh, or chief of the princes. Just as one human Rabshakeh had conveyed ancient Assyrian displeasure towards breakaway vassal alignment with ancient Egypt, so did the celestial speaker convey the displeasure of the one who sent her towards heavenly collaborations with the likes of self-proclaimed deities and demons. Then came only the first jab at the angelic fidelity towards God himself.

The dark representative continued the demoralizing. She dared her angelic opponents to create celestial beings as replacements for the fallen, which they could not do. She even disparaged her own soldiers, rather accurately, as specks of Sefira's imagination; unlike one self-proclaimed deity who could not increase brethren for a conquering Assyrian monarch, the one who sent her was more than capable of creating replacement attackers. She declared her own fidelity towards her dark superior, then warned against entertaining false hopes of resisting the dark power before them.

For her part, the self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine became flattered upon hearing the dark reference to her own power as almighty, for only her mother and her uncle exceeded her in nigh-omnipotence. After hearing the heartfelt call to surrender being issued, she noted the angelic resistance being impressed by recordings of mass veneration that had been heaped upon her.

Not long after, Mashhit made a jab at God which impressed her dark superior, comparing real divine neglect to the impotence of the self-proclaimed deities who had been exterminated by the Lesser Darkness herself.

* * *

 _Author's Note: The mention of the Assyrian moon god Sin increasing brothers is the very meaning of the kingly name_ Sin-ahhe-eriba _, or Sennacherib._


	71. Angelic Pushback

**Angelic Pushback**

Despite the dark message that had been relayed to the angelic opposition, it did not take long for Sefira to see a most powerful vehicle come out of the Commonwealth of Heaven to do battle with the Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments she had sent against them.

"So, this is the very Divine Chariot which shall have me as its plenipotentiary rider," the Lesser Darkness remarked haughtily about none other than the Merkabah.

As described by one of its charioteers, the Divine Chariot was a star tetrahedron, two triangular pyramids put together to form the simplest regular polyhedral compound. It had eight corners and twelve other points that were to be manned only by elite angels, for it combined the defensive power of those angels to augment massively their individual protection, so long as they kept manning it. It turned out that the ones who now drove this vehicle were none other than all four Holy Living Ones, all four Valiant Ones, all four human-friendly Electric Ones, and all eight of the most augmented Fiery Ones.

The celestial lady of war became impressed by the angelic pushback that came. The remaining angelic patrollers went inside the heavenly realm to join forces with their other brethren in unleashing brilliant rays of mass smitings upon her own forces. Meanwhile, from the holy vehicle of immense power came a different kind of eradication, as those inside obliterated many of her troops while appearing to be either finger-snapping or hand-waving, until they came across none other than Mashhit herself.

Sefira gazed at the Merkabah's drivers and the dark representative engaging one another in combat. The engagement began with ineffective celestial blasts from both sides, and escalated with Holy Fire attacks from the star tetrahedron and the dark equivalent of holy white light from the lone elite being of darkness. Throughout this, the Divine Chariot suffered not a single dent. The engagement then culminated in an attempt at combined smiting by the charioteers, and it was at this point that the second-strongest Dark Arch-Naphil beat a hasty retreat along with what was left of her attacking forces.

Though the Lesser Darkness did not conquer the Commonwealth of Heaven with this initial celestial assault, she anticipated eagerly the swift response of its stubborn inhabitants that would play into her hands.


	72. Dark Primordial Luxury

**Dark Primordial Luxury**

From inside her ominous sphere of nigh-omnividence and nigh-omniaudience did Sefira eavesdrop on the leadership of her angelic opponents. The Lesser Darkness became amused when one of the leaders imitated her primordial cousin, Lucifer, during his failed attempt to mobilize the angels into desperate action against her mother, the Darkness.

So far, the dark snoop was pleased with what had unfolded. It was been agreed officially that the sealed angelic hybrids were to be released. She noted that the one who was assigned for this, the true advocate of this deed, craved to become the uncontested leader of the angelic realm, and had advocated for this release as a means of achieving that goal.

As the eavesdropper gazed upon the release and co-option of the hybrids, including the original Nephilim, she came across one unorthodox angelic idea by telepathic means. After all, no such idea could escape her awareness.

This was the idea of having angels change vessels frequently. Doing so would leave behind immeasurable traces of rechargeable grace for extraction and use, especially in war-related celestial rituals.

Sefira's first, instinctive impression of this was one of balking, for the one obstacle preventing her forces of Thrones, Dominations, Origins, Potentates, Principalities, Authorities, Incorporeal Powers, Virtues, and Regiments from mimicking this feat came in the form of the runes and spellwork of severe restraint crafted upon their bodies. She herself was responsible for having implemented this, even though she did so to ensure personal control over their motions and abilities during particular emergency situations. Although she could break such restraints on a case-by-case basis, she would have to be involved personally in order to break them.

Upon further reflection, the dark creator remembered two things that afforded her the dark primordial luxury of not having her multitudes of celestial soldiers imitate the angels. The first was her very own ability to create non-primordial celestial beings ex nihilo, which could be done either in normal time or with the temporal support of Apollyon. The second was more sinister; throughout their generations, her celestial forces circumcised the coronae of their rechargeable core beings, for no Divine injunction had been established which prohibited this dark surrender.

At any time, in fact, could the Lesser Darkness command these lowly subordinates of the six Dark Archangels and four Dark Arch-Nephilim to commit additional surrenders.

* * *

 _Author's Note: In the fanfic_ Time Out _, Sefira proved her inherent ability to "create" primordial beings or substances by dispersing the essences of other primordial beings, instead of her own, a deed that was more dastardly than the dark externalizations of primordial power in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien. Here, and on a non-primordial scale, has she realized another way to force the dispersal of the essences of other supernatural beings, rather than her own; in this capacity do the bodily runes and spellwork transcend their original purpose of severe restraint (from the official Season 12 episode "Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell") and become analogous to the will domination abilities of the Rings of Power._


	73. Causal Loop

**Causal Loop**

Once the freed angelic hybrids were welcomed by the angelic opposition, Sefira felt tempted to skip the inevitable deliberation on the frequent changes of vessels as a means of extracting traces of grace, when a more primordial angle presented itself to her. The Lesser Darkness became intrigued upon hearing about the availability of primordial tzohar, or radiance.

Back at the warehouse where her mother, the Darkness, and her uncle, God, had their fatal confrontation, the latter presented to the dark eavesdropper some of this primordial radiance from which Michael, Lucifer, Raphael, and Gabriel had been created. She, in turn, had been prevented divinely from acquiring even a small fraction of this substance. Now, she gazed on, as her angelic opposition went on to manipulate time in a limited manner and collect the traces left behind after archangelic possessions. The amount collected turned out to be sufficient for the primordial creation of a fifth archangelic being.

Though the angelic imperative to prevent her from acquiring the collection was spoken, she who arose in might dismissed emphatically that idea altogether. She had no interest in creating a primordial being from equally primordial radiance, but only from primordial darkness. More importantly, the limited manipulation of time which unfolded before her led to a grander idea.

Just as the Creator bled fatally as a result of a direct assault from the Destroyer, so did Sefira's four primordial cousins leave behind traces of primordial tzohar. They did so for many millions of years, when they were locked in a primordial stalemate with the two original Leviathan combiners. Indeed, the amount of shed radiance had been significantly greater than the relative scarcity in angelic possession. Only now did the dark snoop discern what her mother and her uncle did not bother to do: why this abundance disappeared.

The darkly enlightened one committed to the causal loop before her and opened a tear to time before the omniverse. This was when God had been busy creating the two non-corporeal realms meant to imprison each supermassive primordial gestalt. This was when Michael took the daring initiative to create four celestial beings, the Wheels, through highly extraordinary means.

Without leaving her abode, and while evading the divine notice of even two supremely powerful time travellers who were conducting their family meeting accordingly, the Lesser Darkness scooped whatever shed radiance she identified.

* * *

 _Author's Note:_ _There are five primordial substances for Amara, Chuck, and Sefira to make use of: the primordial blood of divine darkness in its pure form, the primordial blood of divine light, the primordial tzohar or radiance (also known as Chuck's stuff of primordial creation), the deathly substance of a primordial kind, and the primordial basis of dark matter (the substance which much of the very first substance metamorphosed to)._

 _Also, Sefira's obtainment of shed primordial radiance coincides with the eighth chapter of the fanfic_ Family Meeting _._


	74. Collection Of Primordial Tzohar

**Collection Of Primordial Tzohar**

Having collected the traces of primordial tzohar shed by her four primordial cousins long ago, Sefira closed the tear to the time when the original supermassive Leviathan gestalts battled those same cousins to a stalemate. From the very center of the Darkest Domain, from within the ominous sphere atop the Dark Gateway of Divinity, did the Lesser Darkness turn to appreciate fully just how much more significant her collection of primordial radiance was than what was in the possession of her angelic opposition, and even what her uncle, God, prevented her from possessing back at the warehouse.

The third collection, that which the Creator showed briefly, was not sufficient for the primordial creation of an archangelic being as powerful innately as Lucifer, let alone Michael. The second collection, that which the dark eavesdropper eschewed from seizing, amounted to something similar. Regarding this, it had been Raphael who, since the beginning of the omniverse, left behind the most traces of his primordial radiance; he had been charged with protecting all manner of Prophets of the Lord who emerged in the varying universes at various times.

The collection before the most powerful created being in existence, however, was much greater, for most of the shed radiance had once belonged to either Michael or Lucifer. It was natural that the eldest had shed the most radiance long ago, for he had no other combat role than that of a warrior during the stalemate. Not far behind, however, had been the next in age, for he had adopted the combat role of a warrior. Well behind these two had been Raphael and Gabriel, for they had adopted the combat roles of a sustainer and a special operations force, respectively. Only once the Wheels had been created did these younger ones change their combat roles. All in all, the collection itself amounted to something sufficient for the primordial creation of a being as powerful innately as the second-strongest Dark Arch-Naphil, Mashhit.

Not wanting to create even a less lively thing or two from what was before her, the Lesser Darkness decided merely to keep this collection of primordial tzohar, or radiance, from being identified by the only two who were superior to her in nigh-omnipotence.


	75. Grand Manipulation And Deception

**Grand Manipulation And Deception**

On the verge of keeping her collection of primordial tzohar, Sefira realized that the time had come to implement further celestial manipulation and deception of the highest degree. The Lesser Darkness was determined to overpower the celestial resistance being plotted against her, by the inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Heaven and by a great many other celestial beings, with runes and spellwork not unlike those she crafted upon the vessels of her archangelic creations, upon the Dark Arch-Nephilim, and upon the Adonim at large.

The Dark Herald had observed angelic discussions concerning the making of primordial weapons not unlike archangel blades, the solicitation of the services of the fairy inhabitants of Avalon, the harvesting of dragon souls planned by the independent Republic of Heaven, and the heavenly response to that scheme. The one who craved to become the uncontested leader of the larger angelic realm had been dispatched to oversee the aforementioned response.

The self-proclaimed Active Divine Feminine maintained her dark resolve to become the undisputed Deity Supreme and High Sovereign of High Sovereigns outside the Divine Presence. No competing ambitions, however mutually exclusive each was in relation to one another, were going to obstruct her. As for the runes and spellwork, she thought it appropriate that a dark irony should lead to their realization: that none other than her very opponents would be enticed into manufacturing their very own chains everlasting.

Momentarily, the dark sovereign turned her gaze away from heavenly observation, towards a dark place somewhere else. This was the primordial prison from which she extracted an original Leviathan combiner, the supermassive primordial gestalt with masculine characteristics. She had turned her attention to this place with the purpose of making the grand manipulation and deception to come all the more convincing.

"The inevitable subordination of all these winged suck-ups and others shall happen by way of," she who arose in might declared boastfully, as all nearby, the six Dark Archangels and the four Dark Arch-Nephilim, gave her their full attention.

"An angel of light," the Lesser Darkness recited conclusively.


	76. Citations

**Disclaimer: All New Testament quotations come from the NRSV version.**

* * *

 **Citations**

Chapter 2: Mark 8:29, Colossians 1:15, 2 Peter 3:8, and Matthew 6:10

Chapter 6: Hebrews 4:13

Chapter 9: Matthew 26:27 and Romans 5:17

Chapter 10: Matthew 14:31, 17:20, and 4:3

Chapter 11: Matthew 28:18

Chapter 12: Revelation 4:8

Chapter 13: Colossians 1:16

Chapter 14: Romans 2:29

Chapter 15: Revelation 13:17

Chapter 18: Hebrews 11;17

Chapter 30: 2 Thessalonians 3:13

Chapter 32: Galatians 6:7

Chapter 34: Luke 14:26 and Matthew 10:37

Chapter 47: Revelation 13:13

Chapter 55: Matthew 8:8

Chapter 68: Matthew 19:26

Chapter 75: 2 Corinthians 11:14


End file.
